Guardian Angel
by FaithinBones
Summary: Booth is a U.S. Army Ranger and Brennan has been working for the Jeffersonian Institute for two years. What if they met far away from Washington D.C.?
1. Chapter 1

(The year is 1999.)

This story idea hit me, while I was watching a new show on CBS. I sure miss not having any new Bones shows to look forward to. Warning: this story is rated T for violence.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Their mission was simple. The political situation in Guatemala was tense and the fact that there was an archaeological dig in progress in the country that had been sponsored by The Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. didn't help matters. There were suspicions that the scientists had been sent to identify the remains of civilians that had been murdered by the military and that made certain people very nervous.

The CIA had found out that certain rogue elements in the country had plans to kill the scientists at the dig. The group in question was leery of American interference and they felt that the Americans should be forced to leave the country by any means necessary. Since the United States had no right to send American soldiers into another country without permission, the CIA started to formulate a plan to keep the members of the dig safe until they could find the leader of the anti-American group and make him change his mind, one way or the other.

Master Sergeant Seeley Booth, along with three other U.S Army Rangers were assigned the task of helping the CIA keep the Jeffersonian group safe while the search was on for Ricardo Conedera, the leader of the group that had threatened to kill the Americans. Since Dr. Burnsides, the camp coordinator was relying upon the Guatemalan soldiers assigned to guard their camp to protect them and Booth and his men were in the country illegally, they would have to do their jobs without anyone in the camp knowing they were there.

Corporal John Green, found the situation amusing. "Master Sergeant, those squints will never know we're here."

"Squints?" Booth had never heard that term before. "What's a squint?"

The corporal felt pity for Booth's lack of education. "My brother James works for the FBI at the New York field office. He calls all scientists squints. He says it's because they squint at everything when they're on the job. He says unless something is right under their noses, they don't really pay attention to what's going on around them."

"That seems a little condescending. They can't all be that way." _At least I hope not._ Booth had never worked with scientists so he had no idea how they behaved. "We'll have to set up our camp about a mile from their camp. Two of us will watch the camp during the day and two will watch at night. Let's keep in mind that there are soldiers at the camp too not just squints. We're not here to start a war or to get involved in a fire fight with the Guatemalan Army. We're only going to stay until Ricardo Conedera has been taken care of. We don't want to piss off the Guatemalan government which will happen if they find out we're here. Also, from what I hear, Dr. Burnsides can be a real prick, so it'd be better if he doesn't know we're here either."

"We'll be careful, Master Sergeant." Green looked at Corporal Higgins and frowned. "You have company." Green brushed his hand across his friend's shoulder and knocked a large spider off. "I like deserts. Too many creepy crawlies in a jungle."

Stomping on the spider, Corporal Higgins cursed softly. "At least it wasn't a fucking snake."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Booth decided to take the day shift. He was very careful how he moved around the camp and made sure that no one knew he was there. The camp was set up about 500 yards from the actual dig which consisted of three stone and mortar structures. None of the buildings were shaped like a pyramid, but he knew that not all Mayan buildings were. In this case, each building appeared to be a four-walled building with no roof. All three of them were mostly covered in vines and other plant life. After a little reconnoitering, he found that the scientists were digging up the floors of each building. He also spotted one of the squints digging in an area roughly twenty feet from the buildings. Curious about what was so special about that spot, he moved into position and watched the scientist digging very carefully. He couldn't really see what she was excavating, so decided to study her instead. She was wearing a cream colored sleeveless shirt, a broad hat that hid most of her face from him, canvas shorts and sturdy work boots. It was hard to judge how she looked, but he could tell she appeared to be healthy and probably young.

Not willing to stay in one place for long, he moved around the camp once every thirty minutes, checking with Green who was situated on the opposite side of the camp to see if there was anything he needed to know. Once that was done, he would make his way back to the lady digging in the dirt and watch her. He wasn't sure why he found her fascinating, but she was. Around noon, a young man came by carrying a canvas bag and gave it to her. She removed her hat, wiped her forehead, face and hands with a handkerchief and smiled at the young man.

For a moment, Booth forgot to breathe. She was beautiful. Once she was standing, he could see she had a classic curvy body, chestnut hair, dark green eyes, skin like peaches and such a beautiful smile. He felt like someone had punched him in the stomach.

"Enjoy your lunch, Temperance." _Oh, so that's her name._

Once the young man was gone, she moved over to a semi-rotten log and sat down on it. Rummaging in the bag, she pulled out a bottle of water. Once the cap was cracked, she twisted it off and drank the entire bottle of water. A look of satisfaction on her face, she removed a sandwich from the bag, unwrapped it and ate it. Her movements were methodical and none were wasted.

He couldn't help, but stare at her. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen and he wanted to know more about her, but of course, she didn't know he was there and it had to be that way. Booth watched her open another wrapped sandwich and he admired that she ate that one too. He loved a woman with a hearty appetite. _None of that fake dainty shit. Give me a woman who loves food._

Hungry, he opened the knapsack he had with him, removed three trail mix bars, a bottle of water from the bag and took care of lunch. While he watched her finish eating, he removed a candy bar from the bag and glared at it. He wanted a chocolate bar, but he knew the heat would just melt it. Instead he had a Payday bar which was okay, but it wasn't chocolate.

Her lunch complete, the lady squint placed the trash in the bag carried it over to where she had been excavating and dropped the bag on the edge. Once more on her knees, she picked up a trowel and continued to dig.

Unaware of the passage of time, Corporal Green soon showed up and tapped Booth on the shoulder. Startled, Booth reacted by throwing the corporal over his shoulder and pressed his gun against the man's forehead. "Shit!" He hissed at Green. "What the hell are you doing over here?"

Alarmed at Booth's reaction, the corporal glared at the man. "You missed your rendezvous. I wanted to see why." His voice was low, but Booth could hear the anger. "You know if I was one of the bad guys, I would have slit your throat. I wouldn't have tapped you on the shoulder, you idiot."

Not apologetic at all, Booth holstered his weapon, checked to make sure that Temperance hadn't heard them and turned back to his friend. "Go back to your position and I'll make my rounds."

Green glanced over at the person squatting over an open trench and smiled. "She is kinda pretty, Master Sergeant. I can see why you lost track of time."

"Fuck off." Booth was furious that Green had crept up on him and he hadn't heard him. That was the kind of mistake that could get a man killed and he was better than that. "Go back to your position and make sure you swing by the camp and see what the soldiers are doing. The last time I looked they were playing cards."

"They're taking their job seriously I see." Smith sighed. "I hope they catch Conedera soon."

Booth agreed. "Yeah." Once the corporal was gone, Booth moved further back and made sure a tree was at his back. He could still see the squint, but he was far enough away to obscure some of her assets. "Damn it! Get your act together. Shit!" He was furious that he had let himself be mesmerized by the beautiful scientist. He had a job to do, but he couldn't do it if he was dead or sitting in a Guatemalan prison.

Moving away from the scientist, he checked on the other squints, the camp and the soldiers. Everything was quiet and he hoped it stayed that way. He hadn't been the one assigned to track down Conedera, but he knew that the man with that assignment was one of the best in the field. Almost as good as he was. Jacob Brodsky would do his job and hopefully they'd be back in the States in a few days. In the meantime, he would act professionally and not let his fascination with Temperance get in the way. Of course, once his job was done, he might find out just who Temperance was and find a way to meet her. _Damn she is so hot!_

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Interesting?


	2. Chapter 2

(The year is 1999.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Booth felt like a stalker. No matter how hard he tried, he found himself setting up his observation post near the beautiful squint. He wasn't sure if he should be calling her a squint, but the fact was, she was constantly staring at things she found in the pit she was excavating and if she wasn't squinting then he didn't know what you would call it.

After watching her dig in the shallow trench for the last two days, he now knew that she was digging in what used to be a midden. He had taken a few history courses in college and one of his professors had claimed that middens were the best place to look if you want to learn about the local population. He was steadily working on his bachelor's degree in Criminology and he was enjoying the experience. Once he had his degree, he planned to leave the Army and become an FBI Agent. If that didn't work out, he'd try for ATF or the DEA. He wanted to make a difference in the world and he thought law enforcement would allow him to do that.

In the meantime, he had a job to do and that was to make sure that the scientists working at the dig lived through the experience. They all seemed to be single minded. Most of the scientists he had observed seemed to work long hours. Digging in loam and dirt, moving it away very carefully from bones and pottery bits and whatever else they found in the floors of the buildings and the midden. It was hot, tedious work, but he never heard anyone complain. They all seemed to have an admirable work ethic and weren't afraid to get dirty. Of course, he didn't really have any idea what they were like personally, but he could see that they were dedicated to their work much like he was.

Time to move around the camp and make sure everything was as it should be, Booth slid away from his observation spot and circled the camp. Half way to the other side of the camp, he noticed movement in the woods to the west of the camp and stopped to observe. When that movement revealed a man holding a rifle, Booth dropped his knapsack next to a tree, moved the strap holding his rifle from his shoulder and moved slowly towards the stranger. Cautiously, he made sure not to make a sound as he stalked the rifleman.

After a few minutes, the stranger stopped and using a thick bush as cover, watched the activity in the camp. Worried that the stranger was a forward observer for something bigger, Booth decided to remain where he was for the time being.

Several minutes drifted by and Green had decided to see what was keeping Booth. He found it amusing that his boss was infatuated with one of the scientists, but he hoped that the man was keeping track of their mission. Once at the midden, he noticed that Booth wasn't there even though his squint was. Worried, he continued to circle the camp and after a few minutes he found Booth hiding behind a tree, staring at something or someone. As quietly as he could be, he moved closer to Booth and once he was close enough, tossed a pebble at the man's back.

Careful not to give away his position, Booth ducked and looked behind him. Relieved to see Green a few feet from him hidden in some bushes, he slid away from his tree over to where his corporal was. "The camp is being observed. One guy as far as I can tell and he's armed."

Green nodded his head. "Want to take him out? Watch him?"

Speaking softly, Booth watched the spot where the stranger was hidden. "I'll watch him for now. If he leaves I plan to follow him. You go and warn Higgins and Russell what's going on. I need you to keep an eye on the camp and the dig while I'm gone."

Calmly, Green nodded his head. This is what they had trained for and he was prepared for the worse. "Use your walkie-talkie if you need help. I won't call you."

Booth nodded his head. "If things go sideways, you're in charge."

The corporal nodded his head. "Got it."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

The stranger stayed in his position for about an hour. Appearing to be satisfied, he slipped out from behind the bush and retreated back into the forest.

After sending a quick message to Green letting him know that he was following the stranger, Booth slipped into the woods and made sure he kept enough distance behind his prey just in case they ran into more armed men. It was possible that the stranger was just curious about the Americans, but Booth felt that was probably wishful thinking on his part. He didn't know where Brodsky was or if he was having any luck finding Ricardo Conedera, but his gut was telling him that Conedera had eluded Brodsky and he was on the move.

Two hours went by, when Booth stopped following the stranger and slipped behind a large leafy bush. The stranger entered a small camp, moved across the small clearing and called out to several men standing in front of a hut. As Booth watched, the stranger pointed over his shoulder towards the general direction of the dig and then squatted down to rest. The men in the camp sat on the ground and laughed. Booth wasn't sure what the joke was, but he knew that it was only funny to the men in the camp. He had seen enough and he knew he had to return to the dig.

These men were armed, but they didn't seem to be in a hurry to go anywhere. Booth decided if these men were after trouble, they would find it if they approached the dig. He would make sure of that.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

That evening, Booth was sitting inside his little hut that consisted of a tarp and woven branches. It was raining and so far, the tarp above him and the one on the ground was keeping him dry. Green was sitting next to him chewing on some beef jerky. "I thought for sure Brodsky would have Conedera by now."

Booth cracked open a bottle of water. "He'll find him. You know Jake is good at his job." He drank some of his water and placed the cap back on. A flash of lightening and then a loud clap of thunder interrupted him. "Shit! . . . Russell and Higgins are having fun I'm sure."

Green laughed. "It won't hurt them . . . So, that lady squint you've been watching . . . when this is over are you going to find a way to contact her?"

"I thought about it, but I don't think that's going to happen." Booth thought Green was being foolish. "She's a scientist and I'm a soldier. We don't have anything in common. If I did manage to meet her, she'd probably turn me down flat if I asked her out. Ladies like that aren't interested in men like me . . . Besides I just started dating someone. I met her just before we deployed . . . She's a lawyer for some law firm in Washington D.C."

"A lawyer? How'd you meet her?" He thought it was funny that Booth thought a scientist wouldn't be interested in him, but a lawyer would be.

Removing the cap from his bottle water, Booth watched the rain outside of his shelter start to fall faster. "I was visiting a friend in Washington D.C. and his girlfriend set us up. Rebecca is nice. I think I like her."

Thunder boomed through the area. "So, this fascination you have with the lady scientist isn't going anywhere?"

"Nope." Booth sighed. Temperance was so beautiful, but he knew that there was no hope in hell that they would ever meet. They were just two ships passing in the night.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Frustrated with the rain, Brennan sat in her tent and read the latest copy of Anthropology Now. The midden she had been working on was covered with tarps, but with this much rain, she didn't see how it wasn't going to be contaminated with water. It was one of the hazards of working in a jungle, so it was something she'd have to accept.

Restless, she placed the magazine back on the tiny table next to her bed and stared glumly at the falling rain through the opening in her tent. It was pleasant to have the tent to herself, but that meant that she was isolated unless she bothered to leave her tent. Usually she was quite happy in solitude, but the rain just made her feel lonely and sad. Since she had received her doctorate and had moved to Washington D.C. she had not heard from her boyfriend, Michael Stires. Apparently, he wasn't interested in long distant relationships which did not surprise her at all. Everyone eventually left her, it had just taken Michael a few years to do it. She supposed he was using the distance as the excuse he needed to leave her, but she would have preferred if he had just formally broken up with her.

She was used to the fact that no one wanted to be with her for very long. She had learned that lesson when she was fifteen. First her parents had left her and in a matter of days, her brother had handed her over to the state. That was when she realized that she would always be alone. If your own parents and brother didn't want you then who else would? Love wasn't real and she was glad she had learned that at an early age. It kept her wary and that was needed to prevent others from using her. She preferred straightforward, honest relationships. She didn't want any emotional entanglements.

The lightning and thunder was intense and it lit up the night sky. Brennan enjoyed rain, but this kind of weather tended to be destructive and served no useful purpose. She just hoped the midden wouldn't fill up with too much water. The camp had a gas-powered water transfer pump that she could use if it was necessary, but it would cause delays.

Standing, she stood near the opening in the tent and watched the rain start to slow down and finally stop. The night still young, she grabbed a flashlight from her luggage and left her tent. She wanted to check the midden and the buildings to see if they had sustained any damage. Waving at Dr. Freedman, she moved down the path between the tents and away from the camp towards the midden. Once she was there, she lifted the tarp and aimed the light of her flashlight under the tarp. Much to her disappointment she found that it was filled with muddy water. "Oh well, that can be taken care of." Lowering the tarp, she turned and made her way to the buildings. As she entered the first building, she heard gunfire coming from the camp. A lot of gun fire.

Not sure what to do, she paused for a moment to turn off her flashlight and stepped out of the building. Moving slowly, careful to walk amongst the trees and not on the path, she made her way towards the camp. The continued sound of gunfire told her that the camp was under attack. Since she was unarmed, there wasn't a lot she could do to help the situation. She knew that there were four soldiers on guard at the camp, but the fact that the shooting hadn't stopped told her that the soldiers were having trouble stopping whatever was going on.

As she moved through the woods, the sounds of gunfire became sporadic. She didn't know if that was a good sign or not. Continuing to be cautious, she soon found that she was close enough to see one of the tents and part of the path. There was enough light on the path from lanterns hung up in the tents to allow her to see that there were two bodies near the tent. One of them appeared to be Dr. Freeman and the other one was Dr. Burnsides.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	3. Chapter 3

(The year is 1999)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The gunfire started shortly after the rain stopped. Booth and Green grabbed their weapons, shouldered their packs and ran towards the camp. Once they were close enough, they slowed down and tried to find the shooters. Methodically they worked through the woods searching for the enemy. As they spotted them, the Rangers shot the invaders, made sure they were dead and moved on. Booth hoped that Higgins and Russell were alright and doing their jobs. The constant gun fire had slowed down and now it was more sporadic.

After killing four men between them, the Rangers moved closer to the camp still wary of the situation. Booth paused, used his walkie talkie and tried to contact Higgins and Russell. The men responded and Booth let them know that he and Green were north of the camp moving east. Higgins was west of the dig and Russell was south of the camp. They were searching for shooters having killed seven already.

Closer to the camp, Booth stood behind a massive tree and surveyed the camp. It was obvious that the invaders had tried to use a two pronged attack and the group coming in from the south had gunned down the soldiers guarding the camp. Of the four soldiers guarding the camp, three of them were dead and the fourth was wounded. They had tried to repel the invaders, but they had been outnumbered from the beginning. Higgins and Russell had joined the action as soon as the shooting had begun and had killed all five gunman who had attacked the soldiers. They had split up and gone after the other shooters near the camp and had killed two of them, but not before the invaders had shot Dr. Freeman and Burnsides. A few of the other scientists had been harmed, but Higgins and Russell had prevented a massacre.

Booth and Green had killed the ones that had tried to circle the camp to come in from behind also preventing any more deaths. Once the shooting had stopped and the Rangers were sure there were no more attackers, they entered the camp. Booth stood on the poorly lit path between the tents and shouted. "We're United States Citizens. Your attackers are dead and you should be safe." He held up his driver's license and hoped that the squints would understand that they were safe.

One brave soul stepped out of his tent, a handkerchief tied around his arm where a bullet had grazed it and walked over to where Booth was standing. Once he had looked at the ID, he turned and waved his hand over his head. "Okay everyone." Bob was so glad to see friendly faces. "You just happened to be around when we were attacked?"

"That is correct." Booth and his men had no legal right to be in the country, so it was important that they weren't identified as U.S. Army Rangers. "We have a camp set up about a mile from here. We're hunters . . . we heard the shooting and decided to help out."

Bob knew he was being fed a lie and he didn't care. "We'll go with that." He turned to face the small crowd behind him. "We're real lucky these hunters happened to be around." He turned to face Booth and sighed. "Any chance you can stick around until we can get help to arrive?"

Booth shook his head. "Sorry, we're leaving in the morning. We have a plane to catch. We're going to go look at the men who attacked you and see if they have any ID on them. You should be safe now. Get some of your people to collect the rifles the soldiers had and the invaders too and arm yourselves. I assume someone here knows how to shoot a rifle."

"Yeah, a couple of us." He didn't see any harm in Booth's plan and he was certain that his rescuers were more than they seemed. Turning he moved through the crowd behind him. "Dr. Brennan? . . . Dr. Brennan? Anyone seen Dr. Brennan?"

"I'm here." Brennan had attempted to aide Burnsides and Freeman with the help of two of her colleagues. They had tried to resuscitate Dr. Freeman when the man's heart stopped beating, but they had failed. Neither Freeman nor Burnsides had had a chance, but she had tried anyway. If there was a chance then Brennan and Fred Mills and Collin McCoy wanted to give Freeman that chance. "Are there any more casualties?"

Bob nodded his head. "Yeah, me, it's just a scratch . . . one of the soldiers, Connie Fix and Lloyd Smith. Lloyd and the soldier need medical help as soon as they can get it." He held up his phone. "I called for help while the shooting was going on not that that was going to do any good. Someone at the embassy said they'd send help as soon as possible. I need to call them back and tell them we need medical help."

She understood. "Did the soldiers stop the attackers?"

One of the interns spoke up. "No, four American hunters were nearby and they came running when the shooting started. They killed the attackers. One of them said they're going to go look at the bodies and check for ID to see who they were."

Now that the camp was calmer, Brennan pointed towards the wounded soldier. "Bring him into the mess tent and I'll see what I can do . . . Also get Lloyd and bring him to the tent. Bob, you can assist me. I know you were pre-med before you changed your major."

"Right." Bob pointed at two of the interns. "Go get Lloyd and carry him to the tent. He was shot in the leg. Don't make him walk. Marcus . . . you and Barry carry the soldier into the tent. I can't help since I was my arm is dinged and my hand is a little tingly. I don't want to drop the poor guy. The rest of you, collect the weapons from the soldiers and someone go and collect the guns from the dead guys. If you hurry you can go with the hunters."

Brennan stepped closer to Bob and looked at his arm. "It appears to be a deep graze. I'll look at it after we deal with the others."

While Brennan helped organize the camp, Booth and his men searched out the dead invaders, took a picture of each body and looked for ID. None of the terrorists had any which meant they hadn't wanted to be identified if anything went wrong. Once the three scientists that had been with them had collected the rifles from the invaders and had returned to the camp, Higgins felt free to talk.

"We really aren't going to leave are we?" Higgins didn't like the sound of that. "Those squints are helpless. I don't care if they have guns now. I doubt they know how to use them."

Booth checked the photos he had taken of the bodies and made sure they were good. "No. We're going to keep an eye on them until help arrives. I just don't want to be seen by anyone else while we're here." He pointed at the man lying at his feet. That's Conedera. Brodsky blew his assignment."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Russell stared at the dead man. "So, Jacob isn't as infallible as he'd like us to believe. Well Conedera is dead, so the squints are probably safe. They really need to leave their dig though."

"Yeah, I agree." Booth pointed at Russell and Higgins. "Take up your positions and keep your eyes open. I'm going to circle the camp to make sure everything is calmed down then I'm going back to our camp. I think the excitement is over. If anyone escaped they won't be back knowing that the camp is being guarded."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Once he was closer to the tents, Booth noticed that Temperance was standing in the mess tent. The screen walls allowed him to see into the brightly lit tent and he noticed that the wounded soldier and one of the squints were lying on a table. Temperance and the man he had talked to earlier were trying to help the soldier who seemed to have sustained a serious injury. Booth said a quick prayer for the soldier, the squint and for Temperance. He was glad to see that she was okay. He was impressed that the young woman was so calm and in control. Just one more thing to admire about her and one more reason to regret that he would never really get to know her.

Satisfied that everything was back to normal or as close to it as it as it would be, he returned to his tent and gave Green a report about what he had found. Once that was done, he made a phone call.

"Ricardo Conedera is dead. The camp was attacked by Conedera and his men. We stopped it. Three of the soldiers are dead. Two of the scientists are dead and a few of them are wounded. They need a medical doctor here as soon as possible and then they all need to be evacuated."

Their mission was complete and they could now go home. "We'll meet at the pickup site as soon as the civilians have been evacuated. I'll call you back when we're ready."

And that was that. Their mission had been a partial success. Two civilians were dead as well as three Guatemalan soldiers. Conedera was dead, so their mission would be considered a success as far as the CIA was concerned. Booth hated that so many innocent people had been killed and wished he'd been able to stay in the camp instead of a mile away. He and his men had done the best that they could under the circumstances and that would have to do.

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This is not the end of my story. Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	4. Chapter 4

(The year is 2001.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She had been in El Salvador at the request of the government or at least a few members of the government. A mass grave had been found and several deputies in the legislator had vowed to find a way to identify the dead. The country had a violent history of Civil War and the ones that suffered the most were the civilians in the country side. It was estimated that over 40,000 civilians had died between 1978 and 1983 and many of the victims were buried in mass graves. Some experts on the war said that the number was far less and some said it was far more. Brennan didn't care. She was there to identify the bodies found and that was what she would do. She wasn't there for political reasons, but for humanitarian reasons. She wanted to give a face and an identity to the victims and allow their families to close that chapter in their lives.

It was hard and grueling work. The government of El Salvador had provided her and her colleagues with protection or so she had thought. They had set up tents at one of the grave sites and they began work immediately. Carefully, she had exhumed the body of a young girl found in a well. Perhaps the child was thirteen, but that hadn't kept her from being shot in the head and her body thrown away. With the bones of the girl on a table in one of the tents, Brennan had tried to identify who she was. There were books of photos provided by the government of the citizens who had been reported missing over the years. Most of the missing were assumed to be the victims of the civil war.

To her amazement, the day she began working on identifying the child, a police officer showed up at the camp and ordered her to stop what she was doing. He might have been a soldier, but Brennan didn't know since she had a hard time telling them apart.

She had refused reminding the man that she was there at the request of the government, his government. This infuriated the man and he ordered two other policemen to enter the tent. They grabbed her by the arms and the first policeman who had confronted her placed a bag over her head. Next, they placed her in a car much to the horror and loud protests of her colleagues and she was driven away.

In a state of panic, Bob Cummings, a friend and colleague of Brennan had called one of the deputies to complain and the man said he would look into it, but Bob heard the fear in the man's voice and he knew he needed to make another call. As soon as he was connected to the director of the Jeffersonian, he had informed him about Brennan being kidnapped and Director Feight knew he had to do something quickly. He contacted a friend at the Pentagon and was assured something would be done very shortly.

While this was going on, Brennan was driven for an hour or so by her kidnappers. She had no idea where she was, but she knew that she was alone. For some reason, no one else was taken, just her. Once they reached their destination, the men who had kidnapped her, pulled her from the car and escorted her into a building where she was locked into a windowless cell with a dirt floor. Her hands were not tied and because she felt like she was suffocating in the heat, she removed the bag. The room was dark and she was alone.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

His last enlistment was almost up. Booth had his degree in Criminology and the FBI had informed him that he was going to be accepted in their next class in Quantico. He was looking forward to working in law enforcement and he was counting the days until he was a civilian again.

Much to his surprise, he was contacted by a CIA Agent, Danny Beck and was informed that he was on loan to the CIA. A forensic anthropologist had been invited by the government of El Salvador to help identify bodies located in a mass grave. The first few days she had been there had gone smoothly, but now it was reported that she had been kidnapped, possibly by the military and they needed Booth's help to rescue her. The CIA had used him several times in the past in rescue operations and this wouldn't be any different than those.

While he and Danny were on the plane flying to their destination, Danny gave the Ranger as much information as he could. "The kidnap victim is Dr. Temperance Brennan. She works for the Jeffersonian Institute in Washington D.C. She was kidnapped early this morning and it's been ten hours since any of her colleagues have seen her."

Surprised, Booth took the folder from Danny and flipped through it until he found her picture. "I know her . . . well, I've seen her. She was on that dig in Guatemala two years ago. The CIA wanted me to guard the scientists at the dig because a terrorist named Ricardo Conedera was threatening to kill all the Americans at her dig."

"Yeah, that's her." Danny reached over and flipped a page over. "She's just 25 years old and she's already considered the best forensic anthropologist in our country. The Jeffersonian wants her back, unharmed. I think we have a small window of opportunity to get this done. We have some people in the country trying to find out where she's being held. They've been told it's pretty urgent that she be found and I expect to have her location when we land."

"I hope you're right." Booth worried that they might already be too late. "She took charge after the camp was attacked back in '99 and the mission director was killed. From what I could see she's calm under pressure. If she can keep it together for the next couple of days, we might have a chance . . . of course that depends upon whether or not she's still alive." _God, I hope she is._

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

She had no idea what day it was. There was no light in the room and without a window she couldn't use the sun as a reference. Whenever someone came into the room, the outer room was dark, thwarting her efforts to keep track of time. They had given her a slop bucket which she kept in the far corner of the room. She had not been deprived of water or food, but the room was miserably hot and there was no relief from the humidity.

So far, her kidnapper had entered the room twice. He carried a lantern with him which he kept near the door. Each visit had followed the same pattern.

"You have no business being here." The man was cold and unemotional.

Not willing to show fear, Brennan stood with her head held high. "I was invited by the government of El Salvador to identify the bodies that were found in a mass grave. I am not political. I am here to do a job and then I will leave."

"You are not welcome here and if you do not leave you will die." He moved closer to her and tried to use his height to intimidate her. "I may kill you now. No one can stop me. Once you are dead I can throw your body down a well and no one will ever find you."

She was afraid, but he would never know that. Brennan knew that to show fear would be to further endanger her life. "I was invited here by your government."

"Perhaps I will shoot you . . . a bullet between your eyes or perhaps through your pretty blue eyes." He laughed. "It would be a shame to mar that pretty face of yours."

Brennan didn't flinch. "Threats against women are usually done by ineffectual bullies."

He slapped her. "You think I won't kill you? You are alone and no one can stop me."

She sniffed her disdain. "I'm sure you feel very brave right now. If you kill me there will be retribution. It may not happen right away, but it will happen."

The police officer laughed though it wasn't a merry laugh. "I am safe unlike you."

Brennan shook her head. "I'm sure you'd like to believe that." She saw him bite his lower lip and she knew that her words were being heard.

"I may kill you tomorrow." The policeman turned and left the room taking his lantern with him.

Wiping her hand across her lips, Brennan felt a tacky wetness that meant there was blood on her lips. Cautiously moving over to the wall, she moved over to the corner near the door, sought the dipper in a water bucket and drank. She hoped that someone was looking for her. She had to assume they were and that she would survive this ordeal. If she didn't, she counted on someone killing the officer that had kidnapped her. Men like that had a lot of enemies and they didn't usually live to old age.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

They arrived in El Salvador and were met by a handsome middle aged woman wearing a floral dress. Once they had gathered up their bags, Booth and Danny followed her to a car. Once inside, Danny glanced at Booth then at the woman. "Have you found her?"

"Yes, we have." Elaina smirked. "They didn't try to hide what they were doing. Dr. Brennan is located in a barn on a small farm about an hour from where her camp is."

"Good work." Danny was impressed. "Booth looks like you'll get your chance to be a hero after all."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: we heard about Brennan's ordeal in El Salvador in the episode, "The Woman in the Garden." I'm taking a few liberties with that story.


	5. Chapter 5

(The year is 2001.)

A/N: This is a reminder that this story is rated T for violence.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

The heat usually didn't bother her, but normally she worked out in the open or in a tent with screened walls. Since it was August, it wasn't unusual for temperatures to hit a high of 84 degrees and sitting in a closed in room with no windows made the temperatures almost unbearable. Brennan feared that she might eventually suffer from hyperthermia. She knew her body temperature was too high and if she didn't get some relief soon, she could suffer from heat stroke. The situation was serious and there was nothing she could do to rectify the situation. Her fate was in the hands of a very angry police officer who didn't seem to care if she lived or died.

She had mentioned the heat to the man who had brought her fresh water and a plate of food. He had kept the door open while she ate and once she was done, shook his head, left the room and closed the door behind him.

The breeze from the open door had helped, but not as much as she needed.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth and Danny arrived at the farm just as the sun had set. The house located near the barn was clearly occupied and there was one car and a truck parked in front of the house. Booth slowly moved around the house, looking in to windows and found that there were three men in the living room and a man and woman sitting in the kitchen.

As quietly as he could he moved over to the barn and slipped inside. There were two men sitting in front of a door towards the back of the barn playing a card game of some kind. Hiding behind several bales of hay, he watched the men for a few seconds and decided that they were very careless idiots. They were not armed at the moment. Two rifles were propped up against the barn wall behind them while they argued over a card lying in the middle of their small table.

Danny joined him in the barn and pointed at the men making a cutting motion against his neck.

He wanted to rescue the anthropologist without making any noise and he thought shooting the guards was a bad idea. Nodding his head, Booth pointed out that the hay bales were piled the length of the barn and stopped at a stall that held a small horse. Pulling a knife out of a sheath, he pointed the tip at the men and made it known that they would use knives, not guns to rescue Dr. Brennan.

The night was quiet and Danny knew shots would bring the men from the house running to the barn. Removing his knife from its protective sheath, he nodded his head. He made a throwing motion and Booth nodded his head after pointing further inside the barn near the stable.

As quietly as they could, both men moved closer to the kidnappers and once they were as close as they were going to be they chose a victim and threw their knives. Booth's knife went into the neck of the man whose back was towards him. Danny's knife went into the heart of the man facing them. As the kidnappers reacted to being attacked, Booth and Danny rushed over and finished the job. Now that the men were dead, Danny took the rifles propped against the wall and slung them over his back by their straps. He planned to ditch them when they got back to their car.

Booth opened the door the men had been guarding and found he was in a tack room with a door in the opposite wall. As quietly as he could, he opened that door and spoke softly. "Dr. Brennan, I'm here to rescue you." He waited and didn't hear anything. Spying a lantern on the floor near the door, he switched it on and entered the room. He found the doctor on the floor in a faint. Her skin was a bright red and once he was kneeling next to her he could see that she was overheated. Her skin was hot to the touch. Leaving the lantern where it was, he picked up Brennan, groaned as his feet protested the extra weight and carried her out of the baking room.

Concerned Danny step closer and could see that the doctor was probably suffering from heat. "Damn it . . . Can you carry her to the car? Want me to do it?"

Booth pointed with his chin. "Get our knives from the bodies and let's go." He carried Brennan towards the entrance while Danny made sure that they didn't leave anything behind. Once they were out of the barn, the two men with the unconscious woman left the barn behind and entered the woods. Following a faint path in the dark, they strode through the woods until they came upon their car. Carefully, Booth placed Brennan inside the passenger seat and both men got into the front seat. "Let's get away from here. We can stop in a little while and see if we can help her. Turn on the air condition, it might help." Booth kept his eyes on Brennan as Danny drove. He was worried about her flushed skin and hoped she hadn't had a stroke.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

They stopped their car about ten miles from the barn. Danny had found a gap in some trees and pulled off the road and into the gap. Once the car was stopped, Booth moved out of the car, opened the trunk and found some bottles of water and opened the passenger door. Taking a clean rag from Danny, he watered down the rag and wiped it against Brennan's face, throat and arms. Pouring a little of the water on her wrists, he tried to see if he could wake her enough to get her to drink.

She felt weak, but she was not suffocating like she had been earlier. She felt a breeze running across her legs and there was someone leaning over her with a bottle of a water against her lips. She eagerly drank some of the water and felt less parched. The cool wet rag lying on her forehead felt wonderful and she knew that someone was trying to help her. "Thank you." She spoke in English, Spanish and back to English. She didn't know where she was and that worried her. "I'm not in the room?"

Glad that Brennan seemed to be coming around, Booth glanced at Danny. "She's looking less flush." He used the damp rag to wipe her face and arms once more, added more water to the rag and laid it back across her forehead. "I think the heat got to you, Dr. Brennan. You aren't in the barn anymore. Danny and I found you and took you from there. Do you understand? We're in a car parked in some woods."

Her eyes opened and she found herself looking at a very handsome man. She had never seen him before, but she was grateful for the help. "Who are you?"

"I'm Seeley Booth and the guy standing outside the car is Danny Beck." Booth watched her shiver. "Danny, I think she's cooling down. Do you have a dry towel or a rag? I don't want her to cool off too much."

Danny handed Booth a dry towel from his stash in the trunk of the car and watched him pat her arms and face dry. "We need to move soon."

"Understood." Booth smiled at Brennan. "Can you sit up? Danny can drive and I'll sit back here with you."

She struggled to sit up and with Booth's help, sat in the seat facing forward. "I know your name." She realized that she had heard Booth's name before. "You were at the camp in Guatemala when it was attacked two years ago. You and your friends killed the invaders. You showed Bob Cummings your driver's license and said you were a hunter. You claimed that your friends were hunters too."

Danny laughed as he started the car and moved back onto the road. He'd been warned that Dr. Brennan was scary smart.

So, she remembered his name. Booth found that interesting. "Yeah, I was assigned to watch over your camp because a terrorist had made threats against every American in that camp. Your supervisor didn't want our help, so we had to watch you without us being seen. We didn't have a legal right to be in Guatemala, so we couldn't tell you who we really were."

She had never really believed that some American hunters had just happened to be in the area when their camp had been attacked. It had been too coincidental. "I have eidetic memory that is why I remember your name." She took a bottle of water from Booth, cracked the cap and drank some of the water. "The room I was in was poorly ventilated. I overheated."

Glad that she was better, Booth smiled and leaned back against his seat. "We're going to take you back to your camp. Your people are preparing to evacuate the country. It's too dangerous for you and your people to be here . . . this isn't coming from me or Danny, but from your boss. He informed my boss that as soon as we found you then your entire group will be leaving."

"I'm not afraid. There is no need to leave." Brennan felt a little outraged. She was there to do a job.

"Listen Doc, don't get mad at me. I'm just the messenger." Booth saw a little fire in her eyes and it reminded him of just how attractive she was. Fearless and take command. _So hot_. "Danny and I are going escort your people back to the airport and we're all leaving on the next available plane."

Brennan planned to call the Director of the Jeffersonian as soon as she got back to camp and she could borrow a phone. The police had taken her phone when they kidnapped her and that was just another thing to irritate her. She was staying. Surely she could talk to Director Feight and make him see reason. This wasn't over as far as she was concerned.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	6. Chapter 6

(The year is 2001)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Fuming, Brennan sat in her seat and glared at the top of the head of Bob Cummings who was sitting in the seat in front of her. She had tried to talk to the Director of the Jeffersonian and get him to reconsider his decision to withdraw everyone from the dig, but her protests had been in vain. Now she was on a plane on the way back to the United States and her work remained undone.

 _If everyone will please buckle your seat belt, we will be leaving shortly._

It was just outrageous that Dr. Feight didn't understand that the kidnapping had just been a ploy to unnerve everyone. Well she was not unnerved and she was the one who had been taken and held hostage. "Bob should have not called Dr. Feight. I would have been fine."

Booth had been listening to Brennan muttering her complaints since they had arrived at the airport. "Put your seatbelt on, Doc . . . Doctor Brennan, put your seat belt on." He finally shook her arm. "Put your seatbelt on. We're getting ready to take off."

Not feeling charitable towards anyone at the moment, Brennan slapped Booth's hand away from her arm. "Do not tell me what to do."

He knew she was upset and he was not going to make her his enemy over a seatbelt. "Fine." He locked his seat belt in place, removed a paperback from his jacket pocket and began to read. "If we have to stop suddenly and you go flying across the seats then don't complain to anyone, if you still can that is."

Annoyed because she knew he was right, Brennan buckled her seat belt and crossed her arms against her breasts. "This has been a complete waste of my time. I should have just stayed in Washington D.C. At least I could have accomplished something there."

Ignoring her Booth continued to read. He found it annoying that she had never thanked him for saving her life not that he had expected it. It just would have been nice to hear. He rarely was thanked for anything he did and he supposed that it had to be that way. He had a job to do and he did it, but a little compliment once in a while would be appreciated. After all, he was human.

The plane was soon in the air and on the way to Miami, Florida. Booth continued to read and found that the story was as good as Danny had said it would be. His friend had recommended the book when he was looking for something to read in the little shop in the airport. It was starting out slow, but Danny had told him that there was a murder in the book and the pace would pick up.

"What are you reading?" Bored, Brennan tried to see the front of the book her rescuer was reading.

His book being pulled up got his attention. "A Painted House . . . it came out this year. Danny recommended it."

"What's it about?" She loved to read, but rarely found non-fiction books to be entertaining.

He replaced the bookmark to mark his page and handed her his book. While she read the inside-cover and flipped through the pages, Booth glanced around and noticed Danny sitting across the aisle smiling at him. The man was a pain in the ass when he thought he knew something. Once the book was back in his hand, he opened it and began to read again.

"So, you work for the CIA?" Brennan's voice was too loud

"No, I do not work for the CIA." Angry that Brennan would blurt something out like that, he snapped his book closed and turned to face her. Speaking quietly, he corrected her. "I am a member of the United States Army . . . A Ranger to be more precise." He was proud of his service, but he wasn't sure it was wise to just blurt out who he was. He had no idea who was on the plane.

She saw that he was angry, but didn't understand why. "You really didn't need to rescue me. I would have been fine. Even though I was being kept against my will they were not going to kill me. It would have caused them more trouble than it would have been worth . . . If they had wanted me to die, they would have killed me the day they took me from the camp. Now I've been forced to leave the country and I didn't accomplish anything."

Booth stared at her for a few seconds, decided that she was ungrateful and wondered why he was still attracted to her. Maybe he needed his head examined. "Well, I'm sorry I inconvenienced you." He turned to face the front and opened his book once more. _I should have known._ _A squint and a soldier don't have anything in common. She probably thinks I'm just a stupid grunt or something._

He seemed angrier than a few short seconds ago and she didn't understand what she was doing wrong. She was being honest about the situation and honesty was always best. Staring at the side of his face for a few seconds, she realized that once more she had made an enemy when she had not meant to. She hated the fact that she was unable to converse normally and that she often angered people when that had not been her intention. She was tired of people hating her. She was tired of the misunderstandings that led her to be isolated from the rest of the world. She wished that her social skills were better, but she didn't know how to fix her problem and it was a problem. Most of the time, she just ignored the angry looks and moved on with her life, but not this time. "You're upset and I didn't mean to do that . . . I am not very good when it comes to social interaction with people I don't know."

Her explanation seemed odd. Danny had told him she was a genius and the top in her field. Maybe she hadn't really meant to be rude to him. Maybe he had misunderstood. Could she just be mad at the situation and not at him? "When I found you, you had passed out from the heat. Your body temperature was too high and you weren't sweating. If I hadn't taken you out of that room, you might have died."

"I see." Brennan hadn't realized that she had not been sweating when she had fainted. "I thought I was suffering from heat exhaustion. You are right, I was obviously suffering from heat stroke and . . . and if you hadn't rescued me, I might have died. I'm sorry I didn't understand the situation fully."

He smiled at her. She was obviously not going to thank him for rescuing her, but that was okay. At least she wasn't being rude anymore. "We got you out of there as fast as we could. Those guys guarding you could have kept the tack room door open, so you wouldn't overheat, but they either weren't thinking or they didn't care. Danny and I took in the situation, neutralized the guards and got you out of there."

Neutralized sounded very ominous, but she was not going to ask for an explanation. He had been sent to do a job and he had done it. "I have been in dangerous situations before . . . like the dig in Guatemala, but I have never been separated from my people and threatened. I still don't think they meant to kill me this time, but if I had died from heat stroke then it wouldn't have mattered what their intentions were . . . thank you."

"You're welcome." Closing the book once more, he placed it in his jacket pocket. "Do you have any family? I bet they're worried about you back home."

She shook her head. "No, I have no family." She didn't count her brother Russ as family anymore. He had thrown her away like a piece of trash and she would never forgive him for that. "Do you have any family?"

"My grandfather, a brother . . . I was engaged, but she broke it off. Rebecca's pregnant and she's going to have our baby, but I'm out of the picture . . . Oh, I don't mean I'm going to abandon my baby. No way. I'm going be the child's father as much as Rebecca will let me be. I just meant that she doesn't want me anymore . . . it's complicated."

"It is very complicated." Brennan wanted to ask why Rebecca had broken their engagement, but she knew that would probably make him stop talking to her. She understood that failed relationships could make people defensive. "Is this your only child?"

Booth relaxed. So far the conversation seemed to be a little more intimate that he wanted it to be, but he supposed it wouldn't hurt anything to answer her questions. "Yeah . . . I don't know if the baby is going to be a boy or a girl, but it doesn't matter. I'll love the baby because he or she is mine and part of my family. Pops . . . that's my grandfather . . . He's excited. He's going to be a great-grandfather for the first time. That's pretty cool . . . living long enough to see your great-grandchild born."

"I don't plan on having children." She didn't think she would be a very good mother anyway so, why harm a life with her ineptitude?

Not sure how to respond to that, Booth paused for a few seconds. "Not everyone wants to be a parent and that's okay. You got to be you. Maybe you'll change your mind someday. That's allowed you know." He chuckled. "Life can come at you hard."

"I don't know what that means." Her companion was trying to tell her something amusing, but she didn't get the joke.

Puzzled, Booth glanced at her and saw nothing but sincerity. "Sometimes you think you'll be alone for the rest of your life and then something happens and you meet someone and the next thing you know you're going to be a parent. Once my baby is born, I'm never going to be alone again. I'm going to be a father. Do you understand?"

She still didn't understand what the joke was supposed to be, but she decided that it wasn't important. "I always insist that my sexual partner use protection and I take birth control."

A little shocked and embarrassed that she would just say something like that, Booth couldn't decide whether or not she was lecturing him or not. "I usually use protection, but Rebecca and I got a little drunk one night and we forgot . . . mistakes happen." He blushed. He had no idea why he told her that. That was personal information and not something he shared with people he knew let alone a stranger. "Um, anyway, my child is going to be born really soon. I'm getting out of the service in a couple of months. I'm just counting down the days really."

"What do you plan to do for a living when you're out of the service?" She was curious. This was probably the longest personal conversation she had had in months and she was surprised that she was starting to enjoy it.

"I'm going to join the FBI. I got my Bachelor's degree in Criminology this year and I'm taking the course at Quantico when I leave the service." Booth was excited about his career change. He hoped it allowed him to live near his son or daughter. He'd try his best to be assigned to the Hoover or at least on the East Coast. "I've been working towards this goal for quite a while. I want to make a difference in the world and I think working for the FBI will help me do that."

Clearly there was more to Seeley Booth than she had considered. A degree in Criminology was not what she had expected. "I wish you success in your endeavor."

Her kindness made Booth smile. "Thank you." He became serious and tried to encourage her. She had been through a lot in the last week. "I appreciate that . . . I hope you get to go back and finish your job . . . you may have to wait until the political situation down there eases up some, but something tells me that eventually the people of El Salvador are going to want answers and you'll get to help them get those answers. What happened to you was just a setback. You'll see."

"I hope you're right. There are many families that deserve closure." Brennan hated politics and politicians. They always interfered when it was not necessary. "The families of the missing have no idea if their relatives are dead or not. I wish to provide them with that information, if it's possible."

"I hope you get to do that." Booth was starting to enjoy their conversation. His companion seemed like a complicated person and overly formal, but he thought that added to the mystery. "So, you're a forensic anthropologist . . . what exactly is that? You identify dead people? You were digging in a midden in Guatemala and you were looking at stuff that weren't bones, so there has to be more to your job than bones and bodies."

Surprised, Brennan realized that Booth had observed her in the camp and wondered for how long and why. "When you were watching the camp . . . you were watching me?" She wasn't sure if she should be disturbed or not.

"I wasn't stalking you, Dr. Brennan." Booth knew he'd better straighten that one out or she might think he was a freak. "I set up my observation point near the buildings your people were working on. When I made my rounds around the camp I observed everyone and what they were up to. The guards seemed to play a lot of cards . . . that guy named Bob worked in one of the buildings digging up the floor. That cute red-haired girl with the glasses worked in the buildings too . . . I watched everyone. It was my job to make sure you were all safe."

"Oh, I see." She really didn't know what Rangers did, but they obviously were very observant. "I have a degree in anthropology, forensic anthropology and kinesiology. I study not only ancient remains, but the accoutrements found in ancient settlements. I also can use my skills to identify the recently dead if and when it is needed. That is why I was invited to El Salvador. There are mass graves in the countryside and I was asked to identify the remains found in them."

She was impressive. He had never met anyone like her. "Wow. That kind of job can put you in some danger . . . you know, I admired how you took over that dig two years ago after your boss was murdered. You saved that soldier's life and helped the other two people that were hurt. I know you didn't want to abandon the dig, but it was too dangerous. You handled the move and made sure to protect your colleagues and the stuff you'd already found. Did you get to go back yet?"

"No, not yet." Brennan sighed. "It's a promising site, but no one has shown interest in funding an excavation of the site yet. If they do, I might see if they will accept my expertise . . . I was in Thailand last year."

"I travel a lot too." Booth was tired of traveling. He wanted to live in the same spot and plant roots. "We have a delay when we reach Miami. Would you like to go to dinner with me while we wait for our flights?"

Pleased with the offer, Brennan nodded her head. "That sounds like an excellent idea. I have enjoyed our conversation. I rarely do. I'm not very good at small talk and I usually end up annoying the people I converse with unless they are colleagues."

"I find that hard to believe." Booth felt she was a little awkward and very blunt, but he liked it and her. "I think you're honest and you say what's on your mind . . . You know, some people can't handle that kind of bluntness, but that's not your fault. Just remember that. When people feel like a fish out of water, they like their conversation to be kind of bland and meaningless. It makes them feel less foolish or nervous. If you come across someone like that, just talk about the weather or music or whatever hobby you have. It works for me."

"Thank you. I'll try to keep that in mind." Brennan was required to attend functions at the Jeffersonian and she never knew what to say to the patrons attending them. If talking about the weather or music would pass the time in more comfort then she would try it.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

They had enjoyed a relaxing dinner together and regretfully they needed to separate. Their flights were almost ready to board and they had to part company soon.

"Thanks for having dinner with me." Booth wanted to say so much to Brennan, but his life was a mess at the moment and he didn't think he had a right to ask anything from her. Maybe once he was actually in Washington D.C. and was working for the FBI, he might look her up.

"I enjoyed it." She wished they had more time together. It had been a long time since she had actually enjoyed someone's company. Booth was funny, intelligent and he didn't seem to mind too much when she misspoke. She knew that she had treaded on a few sensitive topics during dinner and he had just moved them both past those topics into safer subjects. Apparently, he didn't like to talk about his job in the Army and at one point he had told her that too many of his assignments were classified and he just couldn't talk about them. She accepted that. She had been asked by the State Department to handle some very sensitive remains in the last year and she had identified those remains knowing she couldn't talk about it. "Perhaps we can communicate when we have free time." Grabbing a business card from her wallet, she wrote her email address on the back and handed it to Booth. "I know you will be very busy when you enter Quantico, but if you have some free time email me."

He took the card and slipped it in his wallet. "I will. I'll try to email you before I leave the service and let you know how things are. You can email whenever you want and I'll answer them when I can. Don't be discouraged if I don't answer back right away. I don't know what I'm going to be doing for the next two months. I might go on one more mission. I just don't know."

"Alright. The same can be said for me. I have a busy schedule, but will communicate when I can." Brennan felt emotional and she didn't know why. She had found a friend and she hadn't been looking for one. Their parting was going to be sad for her. "I wish you great success and I'm sure you will do well in the FBI."

"Thank you." His flight was now boarding. "Damn it. I have to go." He leaned over, kissed her cheek and smiled. "See you later alligator."

Surprised, Brennan shook her head. "What does that mean?"

Booth laughed. "I'll email you. It'll give us something to talk about." With that, he turned and ran down the hall towards his boarding gate.

A feeling of contentment filled her as she placed her hand on her cheek. "You are a very interesting person Seeley Booth."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	7. Chapter 7

(The year is 2001.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

 _I'm a Daddy, Temperance. I wanted to be at the birth of my son, but something came up to prevent it. I'm not happy about it, but at least I got to hold my son a few hours after he was born. We named him Parker Matthew Booth. He doesn't really look like me very much. I think he takes after his mother, but either way, he's very cute. He weighed 7 lbs. 4 ounces when he was born and Rebecca said he let everyone know when he got here. She said he cried so loud she was sure they could hear him in the lobby of the hospital. He has all the required ten fingers and toes and his doctor says he's healthy. What more can I ask for?_

 _I haven't sent you any emails so far because I was sent overseas as soon as I got back. I've been in Eastern Europe since then with just a quick trip home to see my son. I had to borrow someone's computer to send you this email. I'll be home in two weeks though then I'll be reporting to Quantico the week after. I hope you're doing okay. Enclosed is an attachment. It is a picture of my boy._

 _Your friend, Seeley Booth_

He considered himself to be her friend. It was unexpected and yet it made Brennan feel happy. She had very few friends and she appreciated that Booth now considered himself her friend. It made her feel less alone in the world. A little less isolated.

Brennan hadn't heard from Booth in over a month and she had assumed he was either too busy to contact her or he didn't have access to the internet. Never once did she assume he wouldn't contact her. After she opened the attachment, she studied the child and decided the underlying bone structure of the child meant the boy wouldn't favor Booth very much. Since he didn't seem to care she decided not to mention it. He was happy and that was all that mattered.

 _Congratulations on the birth of your son. I have looked at his picture and he looks very healthy for a newborn. Since I have not heard from you until now, I assumed you were incommunicado. I have been very busy myself. I have identified several sets of remains that are being stored in the Jeffersonian Bones room. Skeletal remains are sent to us from various police agencies from around the country when they are unable to identify the remains. We have also been sent remains from Europe if the remains are believed to be American soldiers who died in battle._

 _I wish you good luck when you enter Quantico. I have talked to a former FBI Agent and he told me that the course is grueling, but it will prepare you for what you need to know when you become an FBI Agent. Since this email address doesn't belong to you, I hope that the person you borrowed it from will forward my message to you. I will understand if you don't respond and assume you did not get this message._

 _Your friend, Temperance Brennan_

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

 _Hey, I bought a laptop and the email address I'm using is mine, so we should be able to talk more often. I didn't get a response from the last email, but I knew that was going to happen since Fred had to fly back to the country the day after I sent my email, so I didn't have access to his computer. Just to catch you up, my son Parker Matthew Booth was born a month ago and he's doing well. I saw him yesterday and he looks great. He didn't cry when I held him which meant he knew I was his Daddy. I'm going to love being a father._

 _I'm entering Quantico tomorrow. I have no idea what the rules are when it comes to computers and personal time, but I will contact you when I can. I'm as prepared as I'm going to be. I've been in the Army since I was 20 years old and it's all I've known. I've traveled so much over the years that I'm sick of it. I want to live in one place for more than a couple of months._

 _I was born an Air Force brat and we moved a lot when I was a little kid. My Dad left the service when I was four years old, but he moved us around a lot when I was growing up. We never seemed to stay in the same place very long. I went to five schools before I was nine. I didn't really settle into one place until he finally took a job with his uncle as a barber. When my grandfather took over raising my brother and me we stayed at his home until we graduated from high school._

 _I dropped by the Jeffersonian to see if you were there, but your boss, Dr. Goodman said you're in the Yucatan. It was disappointing not seeing you, but I know you have a job to do. I hope you're safe. If bullets start flying duck._

 _Got to go. See you later, Alligator. Seeley._

Brennan was disappointed she had missed seeing Booth, but at that moment she was too far away to do anything about it. She had been invited on a dig at a newly discovered site in the Yucatan by the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan. It was exciting work and she was probably going to be away from the Jeffersonian for at least six months. She was glad that Booth now had his own email address since that would mean they could at least keep in touch more often. Aware that Booth would be busy for the next eighteen weeks at Quantico, she knew they would both have little time for anything but work.

 _It is disappointing that we were unable to meet, but once you are through with your training and I am back at the Jeffersonian perhaps we can arrange to get together for dinner._

 _I too moved around a lot as a child. My parents moved a few times before I was fifteen and when I was fifteen they disappeared never to be heard from again. My brother Russ didn't want to take care of me and placed me in Foster Care. After that I was placed in several homes before I aged out of the system. I can see why you enjoyed living with your grandfather. It would have been nice to have gone to the same high school all four years, but the past is the past and it cannot be undone._

 _I don't mind traveling as it is part of my job. I knew that there would be a lot of travel involved when I became an anthropologist and when I added my degree in forensic anthropology I was invited to several countries trying to come to terms with their past wars that was marked by massive graves filled with unidentified victims. I wish to help give those victims a voice and I will try to accept these requests when I can._

 _I wish you luck in the next eighteen weeks although I don't think you will need it. (Plus, I do not really believe in luck) You are more than qualified for the job you are seeking and I think you will succeed with little trouble._

 _After while crocodile, Temperance_

 _(I googled this so I can now respond to you properly)_

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

His training at Quantico was an eye opener. Booth had the advantage of having trained with Delta Force and was more prepared than his fellow trainees, but it was no walk in the park. There were a few ex-military training with him, but he was the only one with his particular skill sets. His training as a sniper and his career as a professional sniper was capped off by his holding a record for the longest shot made in combat. This gave him some advantages when he had to work his way through Hogan's Alley.

Hogan's Alley was used to teach tactical techniques and immersed the wanna be agents in realistic, stressful scenarios. They used investigative techniques, firearm skills and defensive tactics none of which was new to Booth. He used Hogan's alley to improve those skills and he added to his font of knowledge by learning how to process evidence at crime scenes as well as conducting interviews and learning hostage negotiations. He absorbed that training like a sponge and was excited to see that his new job would be complex and interesting. It would also mean that being a sniper would not be his sole responsibility. His goal was to be the best investigator he could be.

 _I didn't know about your parents and I'm sorry that you had to go through that. It's weird that they disappeared. Have you ever hired a detective to look for them? Once I'm out of Quantico I would like to offer my services if you'd like them. If you will provide me with their personal information and the last place they were seen, I will try to find out what happed to them. I won't be doing this professionally, but as a friend._

 _As for your brother Russ, I don't know why he did what he did, but you did great without his help. My brother, Jared is a real pain the ass. He's a trouble maker, but never seems to suffer any consequences for his actions. He's serving in the Navy right now, but I don't have a lot of contact with him. He's too busy I guess._

 _Rebecca tells me that Parker is growing like a weed. He was colicky for a while, but she changed his milk and he seems to be doing a lot better. She moved in with her parents, so that they can help with our son. She's going back to work soon and she's decided to get a nanny to look after Parker once she moves back into her apartment. I offered to help pay for the nanny, but Rebecca says she doesn't need the money. I've been sending her some money to help for child support, but she says she's just saving it for our son since she doesn't need it. She makes a good living as a lawyer and her parents are loaded. I'm from the wrong side of the tracks and money has always been tight for me. I'm not complaining though. I think you learn a lot working hard for your money and not having things handed to you on a silver platter. You know what I mean._

 _See you later Alligator, Seeley_

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 _I was wondering if you'd like to come to my graduation. You don't have to if you don't want to or if you don't have time. I'll understand. I think I'd like to have my girl there, but I know you are at that dig and you may not be able to get a way._

 _Hoping you stay safe, Seeley_

She had found that her time in the Yucatan had been time consuming, but satisfying. She had considered going back for Booth's graduation, but in the end, she thought that it would be better if she didn't attend. She was not part of his family even if he did consider her his girl. She hadn't been sure what he meant by that, but assumed he was just talking about his friendship with her.

 _Thank you for the invitation, but I can't get away at the moment. We are in hurricane season and we need to do as much as possible while the weather is cooperating._

 _You do know I'm a woman and not a girl?_

 _After while Crocodile, Temperance_

He was disappointed she couldn't make it, but he knew that her job was important to her and the dig she was on had a lot of promise.

 _I'm sorry you couldn't come to my graduation, but I know that what you are doing is important. My grandfather was there as well as a friend of mine. Cam is the deputy coroner in New York City. I've known her since college and she keeps in touch with me and my grandfather._

 _I most definitely know that you are a woman and not a girl. It's just another way of me calling you my girlfriend._

 _Stay safe, Seeley_

Shocked, Brennan stared at the email for several minutes before she allowed herself to accept what she was seeing. He thought she was his girlfriend. He was her best friend, but she had not considered the possibility that he would consider her his girlfriend. She had to think about this new wrinkle in their relationship.

She emailed him congratulations and he had thanked her. She didn't make any comments about his presumption since she needed to think about its implications.

Booth was being assigned to the New York field office as his first assignment which had not surprised him. He had told her that he needed to prove himself before they'd move him to the Hoover. In the meantime, she was preparing to leave the Yucatan. She had prepared to stay for six months, but a tropical storm had moved into the area and it had flooded part of their dig. For safety reasons the dig was closing down.

 _I will be coming home earlier than I anticipated. Due to the depredations the site suffered due to a tropical storm, we must shut it down. I will be home at the end of the week. I hope you were successful in finding a reasonably priced apartment in New York. I know that real estate prices are quite high there._

 _I've been offered a position for the fall at American University. I am considering it. I have time to make up my mind. They have an excellent anthropology department. I just need to check with Dr. Goodman and see what my work load is supposed to be in the next six months. If I accept, the position at the American University should not interfere with my work at the Jeffersonian, but if it does I may accept an intern to help me. The intern would take over minor things like cleaning bones._

 _We are adding an entomologist to our department. Dr. Hodgins has three degrees. One in Entomology, one in biology and one in geology. Dr. Goodman considers him an asset to our team. I will wait to reserve judgement. I need to observe his work._

 _I hope to find an artist to work with me at the Jeffersonian. It will make it easier for me to identify the remains in bones storage. I should be able to mark the depths of tissue on skulls allowing whatever artist I hire to rebuild the face. I have seen this done at the crime lab at the Hoover and in Montreal. I found it to be very promising and time saving. A picture of the victim could be entered into the national missing person's databases. Up until now, I have sketched what I thought the victim looked like, but facial reconstructions would be more accurate._

 _Catch you on the flip side. Brennan_

 _(A colleague said this to me the other day. It is an interesting way to say good-bye. He said it means that I will see you on the other side. I'm not sure on the other side of what, but I suppose that is irrelevant.)_

 _Oooooooooooooooooooooooooo_

 _Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you_


	8. Chapter 8

(Before 'The Pilot')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

 _Hey, I'm going to be in town and I have good news. Could we meet?_

 _Seeley_

They had been corresponding by email for several months. Between his job and hers they could never seem to hook up. Of course, it didn't help that he was stationed in the city of New York and she was in Washington D.C. This was the first time they might be able to get together and Brennan found that she was exited at the thought of seeing him.

 _It would appear that my schedule is finally in sync with yours. I am in town too. Please let me know what day you will be here and I will arrange to meet you wherever you would like. You could meet me here at the Jeffersonian if you think it would help expedite things._

 _Temperance_

Oooooooooooooooooooo

He arrived at the Lab and found he had a case of the nerves. Booth wasn't sure why. He and Brennan had been passing emails back and forth for months, but he was finally seeing her in person again and he wondered how their meeting would turn out. He had worked long and hard hours and it had it paid off after the Ambrose case. He had closed a cold case that several agents had attempted to close and the Deputy Director of the FBI had noticed. As far as Booth was concerned this was his big break.

Security called Brennan and let her know she had a visitor. After she removed her lab coat and placed it on the coat tree near her desk, she left her office and hurried towards the Lab entrance. Spying Booth, she waved at him and had to fight to keep from running towards him. She had never felt so happy to see anyone before and she found the unexpected emotion to be puzzling, but pleasant.

Booth spied her striding down the hallway and felt his heart rate increase. She had grown more beautiful since he had seen her last and he wanted to hug and kiss her, but knew that wouldn't be appropriate since this was where she worked. She might be his girlfriend, but he didn't want to embarrass her. "Hey, Temperance."

She reached for his hands, leaned towards him and kissed him lightly on the lips. She hadn't known she was going to do that and was surprised when Seeley gripped her hand, leaned over and kissed her back. After a few seconds, they both remembered they were in a public place and separated.

"You look great Temperance." Booth had not expected the kiss, but he appreciated the fact that she felt comfortable with him and could do that. He would have never dreamed of doing that where she worked, but it had been her decision and it made him feel special. "Would you like to go to lunch? We can talk and we can get caught up plus I can give you my news."

Before she could answer a small crowd appeared behind her. Or least it seemed like a crowd to Booth.

"Brennan, who's your Prince Charming?" The beautiful Asian American woman was standing a few feet from the couple with a pale, wild haired man standing next to her. A younger man was standing behind them and appeared to be studying Booth with quiet intensity.

"I don't know what you mean?" Brennan didn't know who Prince Charming was and wasn't sure why Angela thought her friend was this particular prince. "This is FBI Special Agent Seeley Booth."

Amused, Angela smirked. "So not a Prince." It still amazed her that her friend was so clueless when it came to pop culture. The poor girl didn't own a television which explained some of that. She stepped forward and held out her hand. "I'm Angela Montenegro."

Booth released Brennan's hands and shook Angela's hand. "Hi." He wasn't sure if this was a friend of Temperance's or not, but Angela's avarice look, raking over his body made him feel uncomfortable. He knew he was a hot looking guy, but he wasn't looking for anyone and his kissing Brennan should have told Angela to back off.

Hodgins quickly stepped forward to shake Booth's hand. "So, you work for the Man, huh? Did you know that J. Edgar Hoover was part of the illuminati?" He felt a blow to his ribs and turned to look at Angela. "Hey, stop that."

"You'll have to forgive Hodgins." Angela was not in the mood for the entomologist's conspiracy theories. She didn't want Agent Booth to get mad at them because Hodgins was paranoid or didn't know how to control himself. "We only let him out to feed and water him."

Not sure what Hodgins had meant by what he had said, Booth thought it would just be better to ignore the man. Turning towards Brennan, Booth smiled. "Can we go now?"

"Just let me go get my purse." Brennan ignored her co-workers and hurried to her office to get her bag and to log out of her computer.

Curious, Angela moved a step closer to the agent. "So, have you known Brennan very long. That kiss was kind of hot, so I bet you have. Funny she hasn't mentioned you to me since we're friends."

Booth clasped his hands and placed them in front of his waist. "I've known Temperance for a couple of years." He wished Brennan would hurry. "You're the artist she hired?"

Surprised that Booth knew who she was, Angela gave him a dazzling smile. "Yes, I am. She hired me to do facial reconstructions. A weird job I grant you, but well paying. I plan to move to Paris someday when I have enough money saved."

He didn't really care and noticed that Brennan was headed back towards him. "Yeah . . . Temperance is a good artist you know . . . Hey Tempe, you'll have to pick out where you want to go eat."

Brennan was now closer and hooked her arm around his arm. "We can talk about it in your car, unless you wish me to drive."

"You can drive. Not a problem" They moved towards the exit. "I can eat almost anything unless it's too weird." Once they were outside the glass door, he looked back and saw the little crowd still watching them. "Your friends are nosey."

"Yes, I know." Brennan had learned shortly after Hodgins and Angela started working at the Lab that they were very inquisitive. Her intern was too, but at least he tried not to be too obvious. "We can eat at the Founding Father's if you'd like. It's not far from here."

Booth didn't really care where they ate. He was happy to see Brennan and the thought of food wasn't at the forefront of his thoughts. "Sounds good to me." He was so happy to see her and he hoped his good news would be good news to her as well.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

While they waited for their meal to be prepared, Booth drank a little of his coffee, place the cup on the table and leaned forward. "I'm being transferred to the Hoover."

Surprised, Brennan reached across the table and placed her hand over his hand. "This is what you wanted, Booth. This is wonderful news." She had been confident he would succeed since he was an alpha male and worked hard, but to succeed this early in his career was a coup. "When do you start at the Hoover?"

"I have two more weeks at the New York office, then I'm down here." Booth was excited. He'd be closer to his son and his girlfriend. "I'll need to find my own place, but I plan to stay in a hotel while I'm looking. It shouldn't take more than a week or two. I have to consider price and location, but mostly price."

She didn't hesitate. "I have a guest bedroom in my apartment if you'd like to use it while you search for an apartment."

He had not expected that offer. "Thank you, you're so sweet, but I don't want to be in the way. I'll be fine in a hotel." Booth didn't want to impose since their relationship wasn't solid yet. He hoped to work on that once he was in the District.

"You won't be in the way." She hated to think of him wasting money on a hotel when he could stay with her. "You can transfer your household items to a storage locker and once you find something you can move out of my place and move in to your place. It's logical . . . After all, I am your girlfriend . . . I'm still your girlfriend, right?"

He hesitated, but only for a moment. "I've kinda thought we were a couple for a while, but I didn't want to push you. You never said anything when I said you were my girlfriend a few months ago, so I thought maybe you had to think about it. I didn't mean to pressure you into anything, but I think we click. We understand each other. I've never known anyone like you, so yes, I'm your boyfriend if you want me to be. I hope you do."

She slowly nodded her head. "I thought about it for a long time. Normally I don't mull about anything, but being in a relationship with someone is not something I can rush in to . . . I don't believe that love exists. It's merely chemicals influencing us, but I do like you and I do think we do understand each other better than most. I have never had a successful romantic relationship before . . . I just don't want you to think I could ever marry you. I don't believe in marriage. If you can accept that, then I think we can be in a closer relationship."

"Wow." Booth had remembered that she never wanted to have children, but he hadn't realized that she wasn't interested in having a family at all. "Well, okay. Not everyone wants to get married and that's fine. I get that. I mean, if you don't want to do something then you shouldn't." Now he wasn't sure if she really wanted to be his girlfriend or not. Was she agreeing to be his girlfriend because she was afraid he'd quit being her friend if she said no? "You know we're friends . . . you're my best friend if I want to be really honest about this thing between us, but if you don't want to be my girlfriend, then that's okay. It won't ruin our friendship, I promise." He was confused and hoped he wasn't screwing up his friendship with her. He had hoped she would commit to him in a relationship, but it sounded like she didn't want anything too deep. Maybe he had pushed her too fast. He knew her family had disappeared from her life when she was young and maybe she didn't understand that not everyone just disappeared.

She saw the look on his face, but didn't know what it meant. Even though he said their friendship was alright no matter her decision, it worried her that he might walk away from her. Everyone walked away from her. "I just want to be honest with you. I would like to be in a relationship with you, but I can never get married."

Her honesty was actually helping him understand the situation. Temperance was an honest person, blunt actually and she didn't want there to be misunderstandings between them. He appreciated that. He had always dreamed of being married, but his luck with relationships had always been abysmal. Maybe he just needed to tone down his expectations. He had a tendency to drive off his girlfriends after a while because he was too intense and he ignored their plans or dreams. Maybe he needed to stop pushing his agenda. It hadn't worked in the past, so maybe he needed to fix that now or he'd always be alone. "Alright. I appreciate your honesty . . . I think I'll take you up on the offer of your guest bedroom. We can learn more about each other while I'm looking for a place . . . This is going to be okay, Tempe. I want to be in a relationship with you. The rest of it can shake itself out as we go . . . I have a son and it's not like I want another one at least not right now and someday you might change your mind, but even if you don't that's okay. We'll give this a try and if we don't click like I think we do then we can just be friends . . . okay?"

Relieved that he was listening to her and accepted her conditions, Brennan smiled. "Alright . . . I'll have a key made to my apartment, so you can move in when you move from New York. You can stay as long as it takes to find an apartment. I'll look in the ads for you while you're in New York and see if I can find anything reasonable nearby."

His smile was so charming that it melted more than a few hearts in the room when they saw it. "Thanks. I won't stay too long at your apartment. I promise."

"You're welcome." Brennan loved the fact that Booth would soon be in the District. She only had two friends and it would be nice if they were both nearby.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

(Before 'The Pilot')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

His household items in storage for the moment, Booth entered Brennan's apartment and for a moment felt uncertain. Her apartment was modern and very neat which made him realize just how different he was from his girlfriend. She obviously loved old things since there were old statues and figurines from ancient cultures in the living room, but they were carefully placed on shelves like a museum. Booth loved old things too, but they were things that people like his grandfather could have used going about their everyday lives. He loved signs, old furniture, sports paraphernalia, old pictures, things that had personal meaning.

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth laughed. "This should be interesting." He carried his bags into the guest bedroom and unloaded their contents into the dresser and the closet. After making another trip to his car, he carried in his hockey gear and placed that in the closet in the guest bedroom. After one more trip to the car, he brought back grocery sacks and unloaded the contents in the kitchen. He didn't want to take advantage of Brennan and made sure he had foods that he liked to eat.

His move in accomplished, he realized that the apartment didn't have a television and that was going to be a problem. He had hoped to watch the game that afternoon, but now that plan had been thwarted. Since he had time on his hand and Brennan was at work, he left the apartment, bought a newspaper from a vending machine next to the apartment building and walked down the street to a British Pub. He preferred American bars that were sports oriented, but he didn't want to get into his car and find a bar to watch the game, so this would have to do for now.

Entering the pub, he took a table near the back of the room, ordered a beer and a steak sandwich with fries and unfolded his newspaper looking for the ads section. He needed an apartment and he needed to start looking while he had free time. He was starting at the Hoover on Monday and he would like to get a start on apartment hunting. Worried that he was going to be in Brennan's way if he stayed too long, Booth decided not to eliminate any apartment that was outside the city limits unless it was too far out.

As he looked through the paper, he became aware of an argument at the end of the bar. Placing the paper down, he watched as a young man yanked a girl up from her chair and slapped her hard across her face. Dropping his paper on the table, Booth shot to his feet, rushed over to the couple, yanked the man's arm behind his back and pushed the arm painfully up. The scream from the man caused the woman to back up against the wall between two tables.

The pub owner rushed over to the end of the bar and gripped Booth's arm. "I've called the police."

Nodding his head, Booth kept a grip on the abusive young man's arm while the man screamed abuse at Booth and the girl near the wall.

In a matter of minutes, a policeman rushed into the room, took stock of the situation and strode over to where Booth was. "What's going on?"

"This asshole, yanked that young lady from her chair and slapped her." Booth was livid. He hated abusive behavior.

The young man squealed. "I didn't do anything. I want to file charges."

Since there was blood on the woman's mouth and chin, the young man's protests were ignored by the officer. "You can let him go, Sir. I'll take care of this."

Willing to let the police officer handle it, Booth let the man go and stepped back. This action caused a surprising chain of events. The young man pulled a gun from under the front of his shirt and shot at the girl and then the officer. Booth reacted by grabbing a beer glass full of beer from the bar next to him and hit the assailant on the side of the head knocking the man out. The frightened girl was unhurt, but fainted. The officer had received a graze on his upper arm and had fallen to the floor in surprise, narrowly missing a chair behind him.

Angry, Booth identified himself as an FBI Agent, asked for the policeman's handcuffs, took them and cuffed the now awake and moaning shooter. Turning towards the bar owner, he growled. "Call 911 and ask for police and an ambulance. Tell them an FBI Agent is on the scene and there is an officer down." Once he had the officer settled on a chair, he pressed a napkin against the man's arm and motioned for the officer to use his hand to continue to press against it. "It looks like a deep scratch. Keep pressure on it."

Next, he checked on the girl and found her already coming around. Once she was also seated, he checked the assailant and made sure he was still breathing. The situation under control, he sat down and stared at the officer. "Next time, make sure you have back up with you. Domestics are the worse."

The officer agreed. "Yeah. My partner is on his honeymoon and I thought I could handle this one. My mistake."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "My grandfather was a policeman in Philadelphia. He told me he never went into a domestic situation by himself." He didn't have anything else to say until help arrived. In a short period of time, two police officers burst through the door with their guns drawn. "See, that's how I'd do it."

The officer turned around and grimly called out. "I'm okay. Special Agent Booth helped me out. The man on the ground is the assailant. Booth had to knock him down when he shot at me and the girl."

After that, Booth gave his statement and witnessed the policeman, the young woman and the now cursing younger man taken away by ambulance. Once the excitement was over, he walked over to where he had been sitting, sat down and picked up his sandwich. It was cold, but there was no way he was going to walk away from a steak sandwich. After all he wasn't made of money.

The proprietor, grateful that no one had been murdered in his pub, soon delivered a fresh plate of food. "Your food is cold. Take this as a replacement . . . And no charge."

Grateful for the fresh plate of food, Booth handed the owner his half-eaten sandwich. "Thanks, but I have to pay for it. Government rules. I appreciate the offer though."

Disappointed, the bar owner walked into the kitchen and came back carrying a slice of apple pie. "We forgot to give you the pie that goes with your order. Sorry for the slipup."

The pie looked delicious and Booth was willing to accept that the menu had changed. "Thank you. I love pie."

"Not a problem." The pub owner smiled at the Agent and before returning to his bar, let Booth know about a permanent menu change. "Whenever you come in, the pie is part of the meal. I'm allowed to make menu changes since I own the pub."

"I'll remember that." Booth watched the pub owner move back to the bar and ate his meal in silence.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Angela had the local news on while she did laundry when she heard about the ruckus at the pub. During an interview with the pub owner, the man had thanked FBI Agent Seeley Booth for saving the young woman who had been assaulted and making sure that no one else was hurt. The bar owner, Pat Davies had called Booth a hero and he meant it.

Astonished, Angela called Brennan. "Honey, I know you don't own a television, but Booth was on the news. He was in a pub when some guy started to beat his girlfriend. Booth stopped it. When a policeman showed up, the beater pulled a gun from his pants and shot at his girlfriend and the policemen. Booth stopped the gunman."

Her heart racing, Brennan held her hand against her throat. _"Was Booth hurt?"_

"No, he's fine." Angela assured her friend. "The policeman had a minor injury, that's all."

Relieved, Brennan exhaled deeply. " _He didn't call me about it."_

"He probably didn't want to worry you." Angela pulled a bottle of beer from her fridge. "Men can be like that."

 _Thank you for letting me know. I'm going to go home and check on him._

"Okay, Sweetie. It looks like you have a knight in shining armor living with you." Angela thought a little teasing was in order to lighten the tension in her friend. "Or a Guardian Angel."

 _I don't know what you mean . . . I'm ending this call now._

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Entering the apartment, Brennan spied Booth on the couch reading a newspaper. "Are you alright?"

Glad to see her, Booth stood up and placed the paper on the coffee table. "Sure, why wouldn't I be?"

"Angela called me and told me about the incident at the pub." Brennan placed her purse down on the coffee table, kissed Booth lightly on the lips and sat down. "Why didn't you call me?"

Puzzled, he sat down next to her. "It wasn't anything to call you about. Some guy hit his girlfriend and I stopped it. I won't stand by and watch anyone abuse someone because they think they can. Not on my watch."

"There were shots fired." Brennan felt that Booth should have called her, but he didn't seem to see that. "You were endangered. I thought when someone is in a relationship that those involved are honest with each other about things like this. You should have called me so I wouldn't hear about it second hand."

He knew that she was upset with him and he knew it was because she cared about him. "You're right . . . I'm sorry I should have called you . . . and thank you for caring. I haven't really had anyone care about me and what I'm doing for a long time, besides my grandfather . . . It's nice."

She wrapped her arm around his arm. "It is important that we trust each other with news such as being shot at."

Booth loved that Brennan cared so much about him that she was fussing at him. It was new to him and it made him feel wanted. "Yeah, the next time someone shoots at me, I'll let you know . . . You do know that being shot at can be part of the job? I don't want anyone to shoot at me, but I'm prepared if they do and I do know how to take care of myself."

"As long as you call me afterward." Brennan leaned against her boyfriend. "This is new to me too. I've been in a few sexual relationships, but I've never been in an intimate relationship with anyone . . . I don't know what the rules are."

Leaning his head against her head, Booth sighed. "I don't really think there are rules you have to follow . . . I think we just have to decide what's best for us and what we think we want out of a relationship. You want me to call if someone shoots at me. I think that rule should apply to you too."

"My job doesn't . . . Oh, I guess it can. Alright, I will let you know if anyone shoots at me too." Brennan had been shot at in the past and Booth had been there to stop it. "This is a rather strange conversation . . . Is this what it is like to be involved with FBI Agents?"

Amused, Booth laughed. "I guess it does . . . I think I found an apartment. I need to go look at it tomorrow. I called the manager and he said to meet him tomorrow afternoon."

"That was quick." Brennan was surprised. "Make sure you don't settle on a . . . I think they call them slums. Look for something nice in a safe neighborhood and reasonably priced."

"I'm just going to look at it. I'll make sure it's someplace safe so I can have my son over for weekends . . . and you too, if you want to."

Cocking her head the side she looked at the side of his face. "I think I would want to . . . What are your plans for this afternoon?"

"Well, you don't have a TV, so I can't watch the game." Booth pursed his lips for a few seconds. "Maybe I'll read a book or something . . . Unless you want to do something. Do you?"

Brennan stood up and stared down at her boyfriend. "You know we haven't consummated our relationship yet. Would you like to do that?"

Surprised, Booth swallowed. "Um, I thought we were going to kind of go slow and get to know each other better . . . I don't want you to feel any pressure. We can do it when you're ready. No rush."

Not sure if he was just being careful, Brennan leaned over and clasped his hand, gently tugging it. "I am not under any pressure, Booth. We have known each other for several months now and I think we know each other fairly well."

He stood up. "Well, if you want to spend the afternoon making love I'm sure willing . . . I mean you're right, we've known each other for months now and I'm living with you right now and . . . well, um . . . your room or mine?"

Her chuckle sent a shiver down Booth's back. "My room I think and maybe your room later tonight."

Oooooooooooooooooo

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	10. Chapter 10

(Before 'The Pilot')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

"So, is Booth still living at your apartment? It's been four weeks since he moved in." Angela stood in the doorway of the examination room and watched her friend scrutinize what looked like a tibia.

Her eyes still on the bone in her hand, Brennan hoped this was going to be a short conversation. She had a lot of work to do. "Yes, we have looked at several apartments and they were either in poor condition, in questionable neighborhoods or were too expensive. He's on a budget."

Pursing her lips, her eye brows raised, Angela fought hard not to pounce on her friend in excitement. "We? Are you going to move in with Booth?"

"Of course not." Brennan placed the bone down on the table and faced her friend. "I am merely helping in his search. He is restricted to the weekends because of the limitations of his job. My time is more flexible. I've inspected three apartments this week and none of them were right for Booth. He has a young son to think about and he can't just take any apartment. He needs to keep in mind sanitary conditions, the closeness of a hospital or emergency room, the safety of the neighborhood. He can't take an apartment just because it meets some of his criteria."

"No, I guess not." Angela stayed in the doorway and debated with herself whether or not to say more. It was a short debate. "Why don't you just let him live with you? You live in a nice neighborhood. There's a hospitable twenty minutes from where you live and a fire station around the corner. He could pay you rent and since he's on a budget, you could set a reasonable rate."

It seemed so logical and Brennan wondered why she hadn't thought of that herself. "It would simplify things, but he seems eager to find his own place, so I'm not sure if he will consider the offer if I make it."

"The worse that can happen is he'll say no." Angela nodded her head. "I think you should at least make the offer." She had been so excited when she had realized that Brennan was interested in Booth. As far as the artist was concerned her friend worked too hard and worked too many hours. Booth had cut down on some of that since he had moved in with Brennan and that could only be considered a good thing. "If he says no then you can continue to look for an apartment. If he says yes then you two can settle down together."

"We aren't getting married Angela. He's just my boyfriend . . . I really hate that word. Booth and I are adults and boyfriend connotates a childish relationship. We are not in a childish relationship."

Amused, Angela smiled. "No, you are both definitely adults . . . As for getting married, well that's between you and Booth. It isn't necessary. I've lived with lots of people and I never worried about a ring or making it formal. It's a good thing too. Some of my relationships didn't turn out too well."

Not sure if her friend was trying to tell her something, Brennan thought about it for a few seconds and shrugged her shoulders. "Booth knows I don't believe in marriage and I don't want children. We are trying to be very honest with each other . . . He has a son and he says he doesn't want anymore children, at least for right now. If things change and he wishes to move on to find someone to marry and have children with . . . I will accept it of course. No one stays with me for very long . . . I'm used to it."

"Oh honey, don't say that." She felt so sad for Brennan when she said things like that. Angela really hated Brennan's parents and her brother Russ. They had warped her friend's concept of love and she just wanted to strangle them for doing that to her friend. "Booth loves you. I can see that whenever you two are together."

"Love?" Brennan stared in shock at the artist. "He doesn't love me. Love doesn't exist. It is merely chemicals that influence our . . ."

"Stop it, Honey." Angela was getting frustrated. Booth clearly loved Brennan and denying it wouldn't change anything. "Love is real whether you wish to admit it or not. I've been in love several times and it was real . . . Look I know you don't want to believe in love because of your parents, but don't let them do that to you. Live the life you want. Don't live in the past and damage your future. I mean it, Bren . . . Don't push Booth away because you're scared. I think you should give this a chance. You've found someone that really likes you and yes loves you. You've known him for a long time and you both get along so well. Sure, you two bicker a lot about crazy stuff, but it's not done in a mean way. It's just how you two settle things and I think it's cute . . . Give this thing a chance, Sweetie. Don't anticipate failure. It doesn't have to be that way."

"I'll ask Booth if he wants to stay in my apartment."

"Good." Angela moved back into the hallway. "Good for you."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Apartment hunting in Washington D.C. was turning into an onerous chore. Brennan had found fault with every apartment he had looked at and he was running out of options. Growing frustrated, Booth sat down at the kitchen table, flipped open the newspaper and tried once more to find an apartment that would allow him to take care of his small son on the weekends and be acceptable to his girlfriend.

Brennan entered the room, poured a cup of coffee and sat down at the table. "Any luck finding your apartment?"

"Not yet." Booth looked up. "I don't get what was wrong with the last one. It seemed to be in a good neighborhood and it's not too far from the Hoover."

"The apartment only had a shower and you like to take baths because of your back and feet." Brennan had a spacious tub and Booth spent a lot of time using it in the evening. "I have a question to ask you. You are under no obligation to say yes. This is merely a proposal."

Booth nodded his head and leaned forward. "Shoot."

"This is not a gun related topic Booth. I am going to ask you a question about your search for an apartment."

Amused, Booth smiled. "It's a saying. I meant ask me your question."

"Oh." She found Booth's excessive use of colloquialisms to be annoying sometimes. It was as if he was using a secret language that seemed to elude her. "Here is my question . . . Instead of moving into an apartment that might fit some of your needs, wouldn't it be better to just stay here? You can pay me rent, so you won't be living here free. We can put a crib and a changing table in the guest bedroom and when you have Parker for the weekend you can sleep in the room with him. You would have the advantage of living close to work and this is a middle-class neighborhood with just a modicum of crime." She waited to see how he would react.

He was stunned. This was not what he had expected. "Um . . . Thank you, but aren't you worried about me being around all the time? You're working on that novel and you hate anyone to bug you when you're in writer mode and me being here all the time could be too noisy for you. Toddlers make a lot of noise especially when they get tired or they're hungry. I've seen Parker get mad because one of his toys broke. That wasn't a pretty sight, but he did calm down pretty quickly when I gave him another toy."

She had thought of that and had an answer. "When I am writing, I will do so in my bedroom. You may have the guest bedroom and the living room to take care of Parker. When you don't have Parker, I will count on you going to a sports bar or the pub down the street to give me a quiet place to work on my novel. You did say that Rebecca will let you have Parker every other weekend, so I don't see where this is burdensome . . . If it turns out that you and your son are too noisy I can always go to my office and write or you can go to a park. The problem isn't insurmountable."

"Hey, you have thought this out." Booth was still not sure whether or not he should take up her offer. He was afraid it could ruin his relationship with her since she valued her independence. "How about this. I'll stop looking for a place and we'll see how Parker's first stay goes. If I end up driving you nuts then you can tell me and I'll look for my own place . . . I drove Rebecca nuts with my love of sports. I love baseball and hockey and basketball . . . Um, I have something I need to talk to you about before we do this . . . Um, well . . . One of the reasons that Rebecca kicked me out of her life was because I gambled . . . I'm an addict. I gave up gambling right after I rescued you in Guatemala. I just thought about what I wanted in life and I knew that gambling could keep me from getting what I want . . . To be honest, I gave up gambling because of you. I knew that you'd hate to be attached to a loser and I didn't want to risk losing your friendship because of something like that . . . I go to GA meetings at least once a week and so far, I haven't gambled since I stopped. I needed you to know that."

"Alright." Brennan thought about it and finally nodded her head. "I am glad you told me. I don't like secrets and . . . thank you. As for sports, I don't really know anything about sports, but that's alright. It might be interesting learning about them."

Relieved that she wasn't upset about his addiction, Booth exhaled. He hadn't realized that he had been holding his breath. "Thanks . . . Rebecca dumped me because of my gambling, but I think she hated the games on TV and me going to games when I could afford it . . . That reminds me, I'm looking into joining an amateur hockey team here in D.C. I love hockey and I like to play . . . It's who I am."

Brennan didn't see a problem with that. "As you know, I like to work on the weekends when I fall behind at work. If you are playing hockey then you won't be bored and looking for something to do while I'm gone . . . plus you won't be calling me asking me when I'm coming home. I believe that would be advantageous for both of us."

"Yeah, that's true." Booth smiled. "Okay, it's a deal. You tell me how much rent I owe you and I'll pay you at the end of each month . . . This is great. I didn't expect this, but this is really great."

"I think so too." Brennan sipped her coffee. "You can call Rebecca and tell her you will be ready to take care of Parker next weekend. We need to go to the store and buy a crib and a changing table. We will also need to buy some diapers and baby food and you should probably check with Rebecca to see if Parker has any special dietary needs that we need to know about and if she has a preference for soaps and towels. I also think you should get your television out of storage. You can place it in the guest bedroom. I don't want it in the living room. There is a cable TV outlet in both bedrooms."

Things were moving quickly, but Booth was so happy he was almost speechless. "Yeah, i will . . . I helped take care of my brother when he was a baby when my mother was . . . when she needed help. I'm five years older than Jared, but I could change a diaper and I even gave him a bath sometimes. I got this, Bones. I'm going to love taking care of Parker and remember if we get too noisy you let me know. I can always go to the park if it isn't raining. I don't want you to have to go back to work unless it's necessary . . . Thanks Bones."

"You're welcome." She hoped she was making a wise decision. She loved being independent, but she also loved having Booth in her apartment. So far it had been an enjoyable experience. The few times they had seemed to be annoying each other, he had gone to the pub down the street and spent some time there which gave her breathing room and an opportunity to relax. She wanted to make this relationship a success. She had never had a relationship with anyone that gave her as much pleasure as this one did and she would try to make sure it didn't fail.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

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	11. Chapter 11

(The year is 2002.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The first weekend with Parker in the apartment seemed to go well enough. The 15 month old toddler had a cheerful disposition and the only time he fussed was when his diaper was dirty or when he was hungry. He loved for his father to hold him and to talk to him or to sit on the floor and play with him which caused Booth to love his child even more.

Until he had moved in with his grandfather, Booth's home life had been deplorable. His father had been an abusive drunk who seemed to take pleasure in beating his wife and sons. His life filled with despair, Booth had not known what real love and happiness were until his grandfather had rescued him and his brother from his sire. His mother had already been out of the picture by then having run away from her family. Booth tried to remember the good things his mother had done for him in the few short years he had known her, but they were so few and far between that sometimes he wasn't sure if they were real memories or wishful thinking.

He had made a vow before God that he would never be like his father. If he had the opportunity to have children he would never hit them or cause them pain. The destruction he had seen in his father's household would live with him forever and he knew that to go back to a situation like that would be a betrayal of all that he valued.

His grandfather had shown him what it was like to be a real man. Hank Booth had shown his grandsons that discipline was possible without corporal punishment. Hugs and kisses were freely given and respect was given no matter the age. Booth had blossomed under his grandfather's care and had grown to think of his grandfather as his father. He knew that Pops was a decent man and a wonderful role model. His greatest hope was to be the family man his grandfather was.

It was Saturday evening and Booth had barely seen Brennan all day. He had stayed in his bedroom with his son as much as possible while Brennan stayed in her bedroom and worked on her first book. There were forays into the kitchen to get juice bottles and snacks and the bathroom when needed, but Booth tried to be as quiet as he could be. Parker had been happy no matter where he was in the apartment and he loved the toys that Booth had scattered around the guest bedroom and on the bed. Much to Booth's surprise the boy's favorite toy was a small cheap yellow painted wooden car. The toddler squealed with delight when Booth raced the car around him as he sat on the bed and his father knelt in front of him. Parker slapped his hands on the mattress while he watched his father making car noises as the toy car careened around him. After a while, Booth had given the boy the car and watched as he rolled the small car up and down his legs babbling in toddler speech. To Booth's utter delight and pride, the boy would say 'Da Da' occasionally and try to give him whatever toy he was playing with. No sweeter word ever existed as far as Booth was concerned.

Lunch had been adventuresome. The boy dutifully ate some pieces of shredded broiled chicken and drank his milk, but while his father attempted to eat a sandwich the boy had slapped it from his father's hand and the sandwich had fallen on the table. Amused, Booth had laughed and just ate the components of the sandwich one a time while dodging his son's attempt to grab the pieces with a grasping hand. He had loved it and Booth hoped that he had many more lunches with Parker.

When it came time for dinner, Booth had placed Parker in a carrier and placed it on the floor near the doorway where he could keep an eye on the boy. While Parker napped, Booth had cooked dinner. He had wanted to surprise Brennan and made fettucine alfredo and a mixed green salad. When he was ready, he set the table, picked up the carrier and walked over to Brennan's bedroom. Knocking on the door, he waited for a few seconds, opened the door and stood in the open doorway. "Dinner is ready if you're hungry."

Surprised, Brennan saved the file she had open on her laptop, closed the lid and placed it on the bed next to her. "Really? Did you remember to order me a vegetarian pizza?"

Booth snorted. "Ha, I didn't order pizza. I cooked dinner. Come on." Glancing down at his son, he saw that the boy was awake and rubbing his eyes. "I guess, I'd better feed the little guy or he's going to start yelling soon. When he's hungry he's hungry."

Following Booth and Parker into the kitchen, Brennan appreciated the delicious aromas coming from the bowls on the table. "It's smells delicious."

"Thanks." Once he was in the kitchen he allowed Brennan to pass him and he placed the carrier holding his son in the doorway. "You fill up your plate and I'll get Parker's food ready." Once he was ready, he filled a plate with food and placed it on the table and retrieved his crying son from the carrier. "He's hungry." Sitting across from Brennan, he held Parker on his lap, his left arm around the child as he fed him spoonfuls of warm mashed potatoes, cooked carrots and some shreds of leftover broiled chicken.

While she ate, she watched Parker eat his food, sometimes grabbing the spoon and flipping it on to his father or the floor. Brennan found Booth's patience and good humor about the situation to be interesting. She knew that Booth could be a very impatient man, but apparently not when it came to his son. Parker appeared to be fascinated with his food, but once he was full he slapped the spoon away and watched it land on the floor. Laughing the boy clapped his hands. "Da Da." Laughing with his son, Booth set the child on the floor, cleaned up the mess on the floor and the table then picked up his son, walked over to the sink and washed the boy's hands and face as well as his own hands. He also managed to clean off some of the mash potatoes sticking to his shirt. "Wow, Tiger. I think you got more on you and me that you ate." Afterward he placed the child in the carrier and placed it on the top of the table next to the wall, sat down and picked up his fork. "Next time I'll serve myself after I feed him. My food is cold." Scooping up some pasta he began to eat. "Not bad even if do have to say so myself."

Brennan smiled. "It is very good. You are an excellent cook, Booth."

"Yeah, my grandmother let me help her when I was a kid and Pops taught me how to cook when I was older. He thought everyone should know how to cook." Booth touched Parker's right foot and jiggled it. "It's cheaper than eating out all the time."

"Not to mention you have a better chance of controlling your caloric intake." Parker squealed and she watched the toddler wave his hands. "He is a very cheerful child."

Booth had to agree. "Mostly . . . he was pretty cranky this afternoon and didn't want to take a nap, but after a while he couldn't keep his eyes open and he went to sleep. I think I probably over stimulated him . . . What are you going to do this evening?"

"I'm not sure. Perhaps I'll read." Brennan had only been living with Booth for five weeks and she hated the idea of sleeping alone. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, Parker and me are going to watch a baseball game tonight." He sipped some of his beer and placed the bottle on the table. "Want to join us?"

She appreciated the offer, but didn't want to interfere with Booth's visit with his son. "I don't want to impose."

"Impose?" Booth placed his fork down. "Are you kidding me? Come on. You're not imposing. I'm asking you to join me and Parker for an evening of baseball, maybe some beer . . . Not Parker of course and some popcorn or something. Parker can enjoy some juice and maybe part of a juice popsicle. I've got some animal crackers if he's really fussy . . . It'll be fun. We can shout at the umpires, though we can't cuss. I don't want Parker's first words to be bad, Rebecca would just be pissed off and I don't need the headache. Right now, he can say Ma Ma, Da Da, car and bear. He has a toy bear at home that he likes."

Amused, Brennan laughed. "Parker is fifteen months old. I don't think he's ready to have a conversation yet."

"Well, it doesn't have to be a conversation. All he has to do is say a cuss word and I'm a dead man. I'm not taking any chances." The babbling coming from Parker caught Booths' attention. "See, he's trying to talk all the time. It won't be long."

Brennan sipped some of her beer and then responded. "I would love to join you for a night of frivolity. I don't know anything about baseball though."

"I'll teach you. It'll be fun." Booth could see she wanted to say yes. "We can sit on the bed and Parker can sit with us until he gets sleepy. Then I can put him in the crib and we could have the bed all to ourselves. Of course, no hanky panky. I don't want the boy to see that stuff."

Brennan tried not to laugh. Her boyfriend could be such a prude. "I'm assuming if the child is asleep he won't be watching us, but if you say no hanky panky then we will refrain . . . Hanky panky is sex isn't it?"

"Yeah, usually." Booth sighed. "I'm going to hate to sleep by myself again. I was real lonely last night. I missed your snoring."

Outraged, Brennan glared at her boyfriend. "Hey, I do not snore. You snore."

Chuckling, Booth reached across the table and grasped her hand. "I'm kidding, it's a joke. I missed you because I like having you in bed with me."

Mollified, Brennan smiled. "I was lonely last night too. Perhaps I can stay the night."

Booth glanced at Parker and nodded his head. "Hell, he'll be dead to the world. Let's plan on that."

Tired of being in the carrier, Parker started to cry and squirm. Standing, Booth picked him up and placed him on the floor. "Let me finish dinner and we can go play Sport."

Brennan finished her salad. "Since you made dinner, I will clean up and wash the dishes. You can entertain Parker."

"Thanks, Tempe." Booth reached for his bottle of beer and finished it off. "I'll see you in my room in a little while."

"The guest bedroom. You share a room with me, remember?" Brennan wanted to make that clear. Booth may consider the guest bedroom his, but she didn't. Her bedroom was his bedroom.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	12. Chapter 12

(The year is 2002.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The next few months were busy for Booth. He had been instrumental in the solving of another cold case and Deputy Director Cullen was pleased. He had been responsible for Booth's transfer to Washington D.C. and it was already paying off. The man seemed to do his best work alone, so Cullen had not assigned the Agent a partner. If Booth kept up the excellent work, then he could only see good things for the Agent in the future.

An old friend of Booth's, Cam Saroyan was in town and while she was there she looked up her friend at the Hoover. Standing in the bullpen next to Booth's desk, she leaned on his desk and smiled. "Hey, I have a case you might be interested in."

Curious, Booth turned to face his former lover and friend. "Cam . . . what case?"

"A body was found in a New York landfill a few months ago." Cam continued to lean on the desk and spoke quietly. "Can we go to the conference room?"

"Sure." Booth stood up and led the way to the room down the hallway. Once they were in the room, he sat down facing Cam. "Okay . . . why are you telling me about this case? I assume it's something you're working on?"

Cam nodded her head. "Normally, I just do my job as the coroner and stand back to allow the investigators to handle everything, but this case has already turned into a train wreck. The body of a sixteen-year-old girl was found and given to me to identify. I was successful and she's been identified as Gemma Arrington. She died roughly a year and half ago and her body was discovered in a landfill six months ago. The problem is she's not from New York or New York State. She's from Washington D.C. We have a split jurisdiction situation and it's not being handled like I think it should be. I would like you to take over the case. It should be easy enough to do . . . a young woman killed in the District and her body transported across state lines . . . or kidnapped from the District, taken to New York and killed there. Either way, it allows you to take over the case."

"Why would I take the case?" Booth wanted more facts. He didn't mind doing his friend a favor, but he wanted to know why he needed to get involved in a jurisdictional war.

Leaning forward on the table, Cam grimly nodded her head. "A New York State Police Detective is doing his best, but he needs the cooperation of the Metro Police here in Washington D.C. to do his job. Metro Police want Gemma's body returned to them and they want to handle the case. As you can see, it's a tug of war and Gemma is the rope. In the meantime, her case is not being handled properly. The investigation is languishing for a better word and her parents are upset about the whole thing. They want answers."

"I see." He hated jurisdictional disputes. Nothing ever got done until someone backed down. "Alright, I'll need a copy of her file. I might be able to get Santana to sign off on it. He is Special Agent in Charge, not me."

"But you'd like to be." Cam chuckled. "I understand. I'll send you the file . . . I hope you can get jurisdiction. Gemma's case is getting colder. She's already been dead for at least eighteen months."

Booth stood up. "Yeah, I get it. I've had some pretty good success working on cold cases, so let me see if I can get Santana to agree and I'll see what I can do."

"Thanks, Booth." She was relieved. Maybe now the case could move forward and the Arringtons would see that someone cared about their daughter's case. She knew she had made the right decision when she'd approached her old friend.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The case turned out to be complex. Booth had followed the clues and they all seemed to fall into place. Gemma and her choir had sung for a group of influential Washington D.C. movers and shakers. After the performance Gemma had attended the reception that had been held at the theater along with the other members of her choir. During his interviews, Booth had discovered that Gemma had been seen by everyone at the reception, but when the party was over no one knew where she was. She had disappeared and the Metro Police Department had been called in to find her. Everyone at the reception had been interviewed, but the detective assigned the case couldn't point to anyone as being responsible for the girl's disappearance. It was as if she had vanished leaving no clues behind as to where she had gone or why.

One year later, her body had been found in New York and Metro Police had tried to reopen the case. The fact that the New York State Police considered it their case made it difficult for the investigation to continue. Her remains had shown severe bruising as if she had been beaten before she had died. The cause of death was a crushing blow to the head. Cam's autopsy had been thorough, but it didn't point to a murder weapon or who might have killed the victim.

Booth interviewed everyone who had been at the reception and came out of those interviews with two suspects, Judge Myles Hasty and the victim's boyfriend, Tucker Henry. Tucker was in town for baseball tryouts, but he had not been at the concert or the reception. Judge Hasty came across as arrogant and condescending and had cared less about Gemma's disappearance or her death. Booth's gut told him that the Judge knew more than he was saying and he was probably responsible for Gemma's death. Unfortunately, he didn't have any proof.

Booth had a dead girl in the morgue, he knew where she had been when she disappeared, he had a suspect, but he didn't have a way to connect the judge to the victim. He wasn't sure what to do about it except to keep working on it and hope he got a break soon.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She had noticed that her boyfriend was getting despondent. He was working on a cold case and he was working a lot of late nights trying to solve it. Booth was required to work on other cases as well, but the Arrington case was eating a lot of late nights and she wondered how long he could continue to work hours like that. "Booth, I would like to offer my services on the Arrington case."

Surprised, Booth placed his toothbrush down and leaned on the sink. "How can you help?" He was tired and frustrated and he didn't want to take it out on his girlfriend. "I'm sorry, that came out wrong. Why do you think you can help with the case?"

She had been surprised at the abrupt answer, but his quick apology told her that his frustration had made him speak that way. "I am a forensic anthropologist. As you know, various governments have asked me in the past to identify victims of pogroms. Some of the bodies had been buried for many years and some for less than five. I am very good at my job. I have been able to identify the victims and their cause of death . . . I know you know who the victim is and you have the cause of death, but you don't have what caused the injury. I would like to volunteer my expertise and the expertise of my colleagues. It certainly couldn't hurt to let me examine the remains."

Desperate for a break in the case, Booth nodded his head. "Thanks. I'm going to take you up on that. I'll have Gemma's remains sent to the Jeffersonian tomorrow along with the clothes that were found on her body and the soil and the trash collected around the body . . . Maybe a fresh set of eyes would help because right now I'm going nowhere fast."

Brennan entered the bathroom and placed her hand on his upper arm. "I am good at what I do. The fact is, I'm the best forensic anthropologist in the country. If there are clues to be found, I will find them."

He appreciated her confidence. Pulling her into his embrace, Booth kissed her. "You are the best and I appreciate your offer." He kissed her once more and she responded with a passionate kiss. His case might be giving him grief, but his partner knew how to make him forget about it for at least a few hours and he loved her for that.

Ooooooooooooooo

During Brennan's initial examination of the body, she found that the bruising that had been mentioned by Dr. Saroyan in her report was evenly spaced. They were 33 centimeters apart and spanned the remains from the forehead down to mid-femur. A rather unexpected find and something that she noted in her own report. Either Gemma had been struck repeatedly before her death with a narrow weapon or she had been crushed beneath a grid. She suspected the former, but she was unable to determine what weapon was used. She also discovered that the bones of the inner ear were missing in one of Gemma's ears. That had probably happened when her skull had been fractured. Add to that she found fractures to the pars interarticularis of the C2, gruesomely known at the hangman's fracture and damage to the forehead which may have caused unconsciousness, but not her death.

While she had worked on the remains, Jack Hodgins decided to use his skills as an entomologist, botanist and mineralogist to look at the clothing and the soil and trash that had also been delivered to the Lab. Zach had objected to Hodgins insertion into the examination, but Hodgins had ignored him. He had several doctorates and no intern was going to tell him what to do. During his examination of the clothes he had found a maple splinter that may have come from a baseball bat. That was important to both Hodgins and Brennan as there had been no mention of maple splinters in Dr. Saroyan's report. Since the victim's boyfriend was a baseball player, Hodgins thought it pointed to him as the murderer and Brennan agreed.

Booth didn't agree. His gut told him that Judge Hasty was their suspect and the baseball player was a red herring. After using a well cushioned Zach in an experiment using a maple baseball bat, Brennan and Hodgins determined that the bat had not been used on the victim. That left the possibility of a ladder, scaffolding, something heavy made of maple.

One clue led to another until stapes were found in the trunk of Judge Hasty's car and after confronting him in an interview room, the Judge had admitted that Gemma had seen him snorting Coke. She ran from him out of fear, he tried to stop her and she fell down some maple stairs. He had dragged her body into the alleyway and dumped her in his car trunk. She came to, he panicked and slammed the trunk on her head which had killed her.

Booth had solved another cold case with his partner and taken down a Federal Judge in the process.

Oooooooooooooooo

To celebrate, the couple dined at Wong Fu's, Booth's favorite restaurant, owned and operated by a rather enigmatic man named Sid Shapiro. After talking Brennan into allowing Sid to select what they would eat, Booth sipped some wine and smiled at his girlfriend. "Wow Bones. You were amazing. I knew Judge Hasty was guilty, but I just couldn't connect the dots to him. You're really amazing."

"Bones . . . my name is not Bones." Brennan frowned. She hated nicknames.

"But it's a perfect name for you." Booth didn't understand why she couldn't see the compliment he was giving her. "You work with bones. You're the best forensic anthropologist in the county and you helped me take down a judge with two tiny bones I could barely see. You're like the queen of bones. Hell, you're probably the best in the world."

She was speechless. She felt insulted about the nickname, but at the same time her boyfriend had given her the best compliment she had ever had. It was a dilemma. "But my name is Temperance. I don't like nicknames."

"Yeah, but you call me Booth." Booth thought she was being a little bit of a hypocrite.

Brennan shook her head. "Because that is what you like to be called." Really, now he was just being stubborn. "What if I made up a nickname about you?"

"Go for it Bones." Booth smiled. She was fighting so hard that now he was compelled to use the nickname. "By the way, Deputy Director Cullen and I had a meeting this afternoon and I dropped something him on him. I asked him if I could contract you to help me from time to time, like on cold cases or crazy cases like the Judge Hasty case. He said he'd approve it, so it's up to you. Do you want to work with me?"

Her attention now diverted, Brennan stared at Booth with a look of amazement. "But you've told me that you don't like to work with partners . . . you want me to be your partner?"

A warm smile on his face, Booth leaned forward and placed his hand over her hand. "I absolutely want you as my partner. With your help, we could clear up some cold cases that have been dragging down the FBI for quite a while. We have victims that need justice, families that need closure, but the cases are so cold their frozen. I've done my best to work on some of them and I've done a pretty good job of solving a few of them, but we have cases that I need help with. I'm asking if you'll help me. We'd be equal partners. You wouldn't work for me and I wouldn't work for you . . . What do you think?"

After a few seconds of thought, Brennan smiled. "I think we should try at least. With my expertise I should be able to at least identify victims that have been nameless up until now. I really am good at what I do and you could benefit by my helping you."

Pleased that she was going to at least give it a try, Booth held up his wine glass. "Here's to us. Between us, murderers who thought they had got away with shit are now going to find out that they're wrong."

She lifted her wine glass and chuckled. "Here's to us."

Oooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	13. Chapter 13

(The year is 2003.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

The year started out with Brennan being offered a spot on a dig in Austria. The job would require her to be away for about six months and she considered turning it down, but Booth wanted her to go. She was excited about the possibility of working on a site that might turn out to be early Celtic and Booth didn't want to be the cause of her turning down the job. He knew how much she loved working on digs and the possibility of discovering something new to add to the history of ancient cultures was nothing to turn down.

"Bones, if this is something you want to do, then you should do it." Booth would hate living by himself for six months, but he wanted his partner to be happy. "You told me that there was a chance that there's a burial ground at the site. You know you should be there and make sure the excavation is done right."

She wanted to go, but she didn't want Booth to think he wasn't important in her life. "But I may be gone for six months."

"I know and I get that, but this is what you've been trained to do." Booth sat down next to her on the couch. "You're the best forensic anthropologist in the country, but if this turns out to be a really important find it could push your reputation to the best in the world . . . I'll hate to be alone for six months, but this is important to you and I can deal with it. I promise."

Torn, she realized that if she stayed she'd be unhappy and might ruin her relationship with Booth. She knew that she would blame him and that would not be fair to him since he wanted her to go. She had to accept the offer to make sure that didn't happen. "Alright, I'll accept the offer . . . we can keep in contact with our phones and with email. I should have access to both."

Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "That's right. You know this will give you the chance to get your name in history books and how cool would that be? Huh? I can still use your squint squad when I need them . . . This is going to be okay. You'll see."

Glad that Booth was being so understanding, Brennan leaned against him. "I will miss you."

"I'll miss you too, but this important." He wanted to support her when he could and if that meant six months of lonely nights then so be it. Booth would have his son every other weekend, so he wouldn't be completely alone. "I might invite Pops over to stay for a few weeks. He gets lonely in that big house of his. He might like a vacation."

"That sounds like a good idea." Brennan liked Booth's grandfather. He was upfront and said what was on his mind. She found him to be refreshing and someone she could understand most of the time. "He can stay in our bedroom and you can stay in the guest bedroom where Parker's things are. Since the apartment is listed in my name, I'll make out checks for the apartment rent for the next six months and you can mail them when they're due. You can pay the utilities as they come in."

Amused, Booth smiled. "Sounds like a plan. We'll go with that."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The next several months were lonely ones for the couple. Both worked hard at their job and if they were acerbic when dealing with others then that was to be expected. Booth worked on several investigations including a triple homicide at a bank robbery and the kidnapping of a Greek diplomat's daughter. The cases ended in arrests and the safe return of the kidnapping victim and the Deputy Director was pleased with his favorite Agent's work.

It turned out that there was an ancient burial gravesite at the dig after all and Brennan had spent long tedious hours digging up the remains. Once the exhumation was complete, she found that she had uncovered a warrior's grave. The man had been cremated and his grave contained two ceramic vessels, a spear head, a knife, a bronze finger ring and a sword. She had expected the body to be cremated since that was the Celtic practice at the time of the internment, but there were quite a few bone fragments and she was surprised to find that more than half of the skull was present in the pit. After quite a few tests were completed, she determined that the warrior had been between the ages of 20 and 30. The normal life span of males at the time of his death was roughly 25, so this wasn't unexpected. Since the body had been burned and there were pieces that were missing, she couldn't determine the cause of death which she found disappointing, but one she had to accept. All in all, Brennan was satisfied with her part of the dig and the manager of the dig had been grateful to have her expertise. Though she had only been on the dig for four months, it was decided that Brennan had done all she could do for the project and she decided to go home.

When she arrived home, she found her apartment to be neat and clean. She knew that Booth would take care of the apartment, but since he was more casual about clutter, she had expected to find her home to be at least a little chaotic. Pleased, she unloaded her baggage, careful to keep her USBs together in a box. She would need to take them back to the Jeffersonian for Dr. Goodman to examine and the film from her camera would have to be developed, but that could be taken care of at the Lab. Once her baggage was unloaded, she washed every bit of clothes she had taken with her on the dig. She wanted to make sure everything was clean and ready when she needed them again.

While her laundry was washing, she started a pot of vegetable soup in a crock pot and anticipated a nice dinner with Booth when he came home that evening. She had a lot of plans for that evening and most of them involved her boyfriend.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Weary after working an eleven hour work day, Booth opened the door to the apartment and instantly noticed that something wasn't quite right. There was a hint of perfume in the air and the delicious smell of soup or stew coming from the kitchen. Excited about the possibility of his girlfriend being home, he searched the apartment and found her asleep on their bed. He wanted to wake her and welcome her home, but she looked so tired and if she hadn't awakened when he entered the apartment then he knew she needed the sleep. Reluctantly, he left the room and entered the kitchen where he found the crockpot set on a low setting and a wonderful soup was simmering away inside.

Since it had been a while since he had eaten lunch, he ladled up a big bowl of soup, removed a half loaf of Italian bread from the fridge, sat down at the kitchen table and ate the entire bowl of soup. Once he was done, he emptied the crockpot into a bowl and placed it in the fridge, returned what was left of the bread back into the fridge, cleaned the crock pot and the bowl, spoon and ladle.

That accomplished, he debated whether or not to sleep in their bedroom or the guest bedroom, but decided that if he was quiet, he could probably get into their bed without waking her. As silent as he could be, he bathed and shaved then retired to their bedroom. As he lay down, Brennan stirred for a moment then settled back into a deep sleep. Sighing, Booth laid next to her and stared at the ceiling. _Well, at least I'm not alone._ After a while, his eyes lids closed and he fell asleep.

Oooooooooooooooooo

At one in the morning, Brennan woke up, went to the bathroom and once she was back stared at her lover as he laid sprawled on their bed. Unable to help herself, Brennan moved onto the bed, moved close to his slumbering body, leaned over him and kissed him.

His sleep interrupted, Booth opened his eyes, placed his hand behind her head and returned her kiss. "Well, that's a great way to wake up. Welcome home, Bones."

Glad he was awake, Brennan smiled at her lover. "I'm sorry I was asleep when you got home. I have trouble adjusting to different time zones when I come back. It usually takes me a day or so to adjust."

"Oh, there's nothing to apologize for." Booth moved a dangling lock of her hair behind her ear. "You left me some good soup to eat for dinner and I appreciated that . . . You should have called me, I would have picked you up at the airport."

"No, I didn't know what you were involved with at work and I wanted to take the time to wash my clothes when I got home. If you had picked me up at the airport, I'm sure I wouldn't have got anything done this afternoon."

Chuckling, Booth knew that she had been right. "Yeah, you got that right . . . Are you still tired?"

"Are you?" Brennan wanted sex, but she didn't know how tired Booth was. There was always the morning to look forward to.

He pulled her down against his chest and kissed her. "Well, since we aren't tired, I can think of something we could be doing right now." He kissed her once more. "It's been a long four months."

Eager, Brennan sat up and removed her top. "It has been a very long four months. "

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning, Booth called in sick and so did Brennan. They had spent most of the night making love and they were both too tired and content to get out of bed. Comfortable in each others arms, Booth told her about Parker's little growth spurt and the few new words he had added to his vocabulary and his grandfather's visit. Brennan told him about the discovery of the warrior and how she had determined some of the man's history. The fact that they had emailed each other and talked about these things over the months meant nothing. They wanted to update their partner and talking about their news made it more personal.

After resting that morning, they made their way to the kitchen where they cooked a lunch of spicy baked chicken, salad and rice primavera. Booth had missed Brennan's company and he spoke non-stop about some of the cases he had worked on while she was gone. "Most of the cases weren't too hard to handle, but I had to put a cold case aside because I still can't get an identification of the victim. Angela tried, but she said the tissue markers Zach gave her must not be right since she didn't get any hits in the missing persons database either that or the victim wasn't reported missing."

"I'll look into it when I go back to work." Brennan enjoyed working on Booth's cases and looked forward to the mystery. "I also have to check with Dr. Goodman to see if there are any remains that are waiting for me to identify besides the ones in Bones Storage. I love going on digs, but it does put me behind at the Lab."

"Well, like I said, it's a cold case, so you catch up with your work and then you can look at the remains for me. Zach tried, but he said that there was something wrong with the face and the rest of the skeleton and that's why the facial markers are wrong. He couldn't quite figure out what the problem is. He didn't admit that to me, Angela told me. He thinks the victim had some disease that deformed his features, but I'll let you look it over when you can. He might be right, who knows, but he is your apprentice. So . . . Hodgins found some stuff buried with the body that he says is pretty old stuff. It's possible that the victim died about a fifty years ago. He said that you can run some tests to see how old the body is."

Fascinated, Brennan knew she would look at the remains as soon as she could. "Zach is still learning, but he is quite intelligent, in fact he's a genius, so it's possible that whatever the problem is, it is new to him."

Booth shrugged his shoulders. "Zach doesn't really explain too much to me. He thinks I'm stupid . . . I get most of my information from Hodgins and Angela."

Worried, Brennan stared at her partner. "Has he actually called you stupid?"

Snorting, Booth shook his head. "That will be the day . . . No, it's in his body language and the fact that he looks at me like I have two heads when I ask questions. Don't worry about it. I don't give a crap what he thinks. You're my partner, not him."

Brennan decided that she needed to talk to her intern. Treating her partner with disrespect would not be tolerated. Her intern was like her in many ways and didn't follow social cues very well, but unlike her, he didn't seem to care and he could be very blunt. "Once Zach gets his doctorate, he will need to be able to work with people who are less intelligent than he is. He needs to learn to be more tactful, like I am."

A little shocked, Booth stared at his girlfriend. She happened to be the most outspoken and blunt person he knew, but there was no way he was going to walk into an argument about that. He had better things to do with his partner. "Let's clean up the kitchen and go for a walk. We can go get a beer at the pub or we can just see where the sidewalk ends."

"I don't think I want to walk that far, Booth. The Federal District consists of 68.34 square miles." She liked to walk, but not that much.

Rolling his eyes, Booth carried his plate to the sink. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	14. Chapter 14

(The year is 2003.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

As she studied the remains on the table before her, Brennan listened to her intern briefing her about what he had found so far.

"The remains were found on a farm near Stoystown in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. The new owner of the farm removed a dilapidated barn and planned to build a new one on the same site. After the detritus was removed the builders began the process of digging out the foundation to include a basement. They discovered the skeleton at a depth of five feet in the corner of where the previous barn had been and stopped excavating. The construction company supervisor called the local authorities after he had discovered what they had. Once the coroner examined the remains, he determined that the victim had died at least sixty years ago, give or take three or four years . . . Dr. Greenwood was unable to discover the identity of the victim and the remains were sent here. He noted that the skeleton was malformed and he suspected that the victim suffered from neurofibromatosis type 1, but I don't think that's correct. As you can see there are certain anomalies in the skeleton which leads me to believe that he suffered from Proteus Syndrome. The condition of the bones has made it almost impossible to give viable information to Angela that she can use to do a facial reconstruction."

Brennan listened to her assistant and approved of his succinct manner. She liked that he wasn't trying to embellish the facts or trying to impress her. "I heard that you refused to explain to Agent Booth what your findings were and why you were unable to produce the information for the facial reconstruction." She wasn't accusing her intern of anything, but she did want an explanation. "He is my partner and he shouldn't have to go to Angela or Hodgins for information because you refuse to cooperate."

"It is not that I refuse to cooperate, Dr. Brennan." Zach felt that Booth's education was lacking and his inability to comprehend what he said to be annoying. "He asks that I use English when I talk to him, but I do. I have tried to modify my explanations so that he will understand, but he is poorly educated."

Placing the cranium back on the stainless steel table, Brennan turned to face her intern. "Booth is not poorly educated, Zach. He has a bachelor's degree in criminology and he is a brilliant criminal investigator. He does not have a doctorate in one of the sciences like we do and that is why it is important that we try to use language that he understands. Refusing to talk to him accomplishes nothing and your recalcitrant attitude makes him less likely to seek out help when he needs it . . . I too have trouble explaining certain topics to people with lesser education than myself, but I do try and you must do that too. Less than one percent of the population of the world have IQ's comparable to ours which means it is up to us to learn to communicate with them since there are more of them than of us. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Dr. Brennan." Zach would take her words under advisement, "Perhaps I should have told Booth that our victim suffered from Joseph Merrick's disease. He was misdiagnosed as having Elephant Man's disease, but I am sure Booth wouldn't know the difference."

"Yes, that would have probably have been more informative." Brennan picked up the pelvis girdle. "I believe you are correct. The remains show the distinct markers for Proteus Syndrome. Very good, Zach. Since it is a rare genetic disorder I would think it would help Booth in his search for the identity of the victim."

Zach pointed out the obvious. "The Somerset County coroner was unable to identify the victim. The disease is rare enough that his identity should have been easily determined."

Not sure what the answer to that conundrum was, Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I am sure there is a logical explanation and it will come to light once we identify this victim. We'll run a DNA test and see if that helps in the identification."

Ooooooooooooooooo

After Brennan had sent him what information she could glean from the bones, Booth reopened the investigation. His first move was to call Angela. "Bones looked at the victim from Somerset County and I need your help. The victim was approximately 19 years old when he died. Cause of death was a gunshot wound to the chest and that happened around sixty years ago. He suffered from Elephant Man's disease, so that's why his skeleton looked so weird. That's a pretty rare disease. There can't have been a lot of cases reported in the state of Pennsylvania let alone Somerset Country in the last one hundred years."

"I can look through birth records for the Fisher Family in Somerset and perhaps the surrounding counties and see if anything pops out." Angela powered up her PC. "It helps to know the age and when he died."

"Thanks Angela. Let me know what you find out." Booth looked at the email that Brennan had sent him. "Bones did a DNA test, but there were no hits on any databases that she or I have access to. I might get a warrant and try to get some blood from the son that sold the Fisher family farm to Fred Weimer. I called him and asked for a sample, but he balked. He yelled at me about citizen's rights and some bullshit about fascism. Something is up with that guy and that just makes me want that blood sample more than ever. He's the only survivor of his family, so if there's a connection to the family I'll need his blood to prove it."

"Alright." Angela brought up the Somerville Department of Health and Vital Statistics. "I'll have to make a few calls about birth certificates in the county and get back with you."

Booth ended the call. His case was moving forward and he was feeling a little less frustrated about the case. He was eager to close it and find out who the victim was. Neil Fisher's reaction had been very interesting which made Booth believe that the man was hiding something. _Fascists my ass._

Oooooooooooooooooo

"I have some interesting information about the Fisher family, Booth." Angela had asked that Booth come to the Lab for a meeting in her office with Brennan. "The Fisher family had owned their farm since 1867 passing it down through the family. In 1921, Gilbert and Anne Fisher had a son whom they named Roland Fisher. Roland attended school for two years, but the boy's health was bad and he stopped going. There are no more official records about Roland after that. No death record, no doctor's records. It's like he fell off the face of the earth when he was eight years old. The Draft was started in October of 1940 for 21 year old male citizens in this country and once the War started the age was dropped to 18. Roland's name wasn't on any list in Somerset County for the Draft or anywhere else that I could find. I find that kind of odd. You had to go before a board, but he didn't do that and no one questioned that at all. It was like he didn't exist."

Brennan spoke up. "It's really odd that there are no medical records available after 1929 for Roland especially since a boy with Proteus Syndrome would have a lot of health issues . . . respiratory and vascular problems. He should have been under a physician's care and yet Angela has been unable to find out who his physician was after 1929. Between 1940 and 1941, someone shot him and buried him under the floor of the barn. No one reported him missing. No one seemed to care if Roland Fisher was alive and well. He went to school for two years and then he disappeared and no one seemed to follow up on his welfare."

A cold chill ran down his spine as Booth considered the probable scenarios surrounding Roland. His gut feeling about the situation told him that Roland had been neglected and then murdered. He didn't like it. "Maybe his disease was getting bad and he didn't look like normal people, so his family hid him from the world. In 1941, the world was moving towards chaos. The Great Depression lasted for about ten years and this country was just getting its act together in 1940 and 1941 then on December 7, 1941 Pearl Harbor was attacked. Who'd care about one missing boy?"

"Yeah." Angela felt sad for Roland. His life must have been horrible. "I think we have enough for you to get a warrant for a blood sample from Neil Fisher. At least we can verify whether or not Roland Fisher is our victim. Whoever killed him is probably dead, so that means they got away with murder."

Booth made several notes in his notebook and once he was done placed it in his jacket pocket. "Neil Fisher knows what happened and when I'm done with him, so will I."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Booth and Brennan made a trip to Somerset County the next day. Before Booth left, he had called the Sheriff's office, told him what they had learned so far and arranged for the Sheriff to get a warrant for Neil Fisher's blood sample.

Once they were in Somerset, they drove to the Sheriff's office and met with Sheriff Kramer who drove with them to Neil Fisher's house. Once they were parked in front of the man's home, they walked up to the front door only to be met by a hostile Neil standing on the porch. "What the hell do you want?"

Trying to forestall a volatile situation, the Sheriff held up the warrant he had received from Judge White's office. "We have a warrant Mr. Fisher. We need a sample of your blood. It's about the body found on your family's farm."

Neil was furious. "No Sir, you can't have my blood. I have rights."

Sympathetic, Sheriff Kramer shook his head. "The warrant says we can have it, Mr. Fisher. We'll take it by force if we have to."

"We think we know what happened, Mr. Fisher. The victim was Roland Fisher. Your Uncle." Brennan watched as the man turned pale. "He was the son of Gilbert and Ann Fisher and your father's brother. The blood test will prove it."

Neil felt sick. Moving over to the porch swing he sat down. "This can't be happening."

Cautiously, Booth moved up on to the porch with the Sheriff and Brennan following him, "Roland was very sick. He had Elephant Man's disease and he started to look weird. Your grandparents didn't know what to do . . . maybe they thought he was beyond help, so they hid him out on the farm . . . When he was nineteen he was murdered. What happened? Did they get tired to taking care of him? Did how he looked scare them?"

Tears starting to spill down his cheeks, Neil shook his head, his eyes on his shoes. He couldn't look at his visitors. "Roland had always been sick. My grandparents were very religious people and they thought they were being punished for something when Roland was born. My father was born two years before Roland and he was normal, so after Roland was born my grandparents were careful not to have any more kids . . . My father says his brother started changing when he was young . . . his looks changed. He always had a breathing problem and Dad said any exertion made Roland breathe hard. Dr. Channing did what he could, but he was old when Roland was born and he had no idea what was wrong with him. He wanted my grandparents to institutionalize him, but they refused. They thought they could take care of him." Neil paused, removed a handkerchief from his pants pocket and blew his nose.

"In 1940, my father was drafted. That changed everything." Neil looked at Booth. "Roland was sick, a lot of the younger men were being drafted and my grandparents had to run the farm on their own while trying to take care of Roland . . . He lived in his bedroom most of the time. Sometimes he'd go for walks around the farm at night when no one could see him. He knew that he looked different and he was afraid of what people might do if they saw him . . . One night around Christmas time, he went for a walk and . . . and one of the neighbor's daughters saw him. She was bringing some fruitcake to my grandmother as a present. They belonged to the same church . . . During the depression we had a lot of hobos come through this area a lot and some of them caused trouble. Mable was a pretty independent young woman and she carried a pistol around in a small purse she had tied around her waist . . . Roland scared her. He didn't mean to, but he looked a sight and she thought he was a monster or something. She said she screamed and Roland approached her and asked her to stop yelling. He was moving towards her and she panicked and she shot him. She saw him fall and she ran home."

Neil shrugged his shoulders. "When she got home, she told her father about what had happened and he insisted that she show him who she had shot. When they got back to where Roland was, he was dying. He was crying and he begged them to take him home. He wanted to see his mother. Mable realized what she had done and she felt awful. She ran to the farm house and told my grandparents what had happened. They got to Roland before he died . . . It was bad. Everyone was crying and Roland kept saying I love you to his parents and to say good bye to my Dad." Neil wiped his eyes. "A few minutes later, Roland was dead. They carried him down to the house and they had to make a decision about what to do about what had happened. My grandparents didn't want Mabel to suffer for what she did since it was an accident, so they buried Roland in the barn. No one came looking for Roland since most people didn't know he existed. His doctor died from pneumonia that winter and his wife gave my grandparents Roland's medical records . . . They told my Dad what happened when he came home on leave. Dad said it broke his heart what happened to Roland, but he decided to keep quiet to protect Mabel and his parents . . . Mabel went to nursing school and served as a nurse in the Navy during the end of the war . . . she and my Dad started dating after the war and got married in 1947. My Dad died three months ago and my mother died last year. My grandparents died a long time ago. A crime was committed, but Roland . . . well, Roland is never going to get justice . . . my Dad told me about Roland a few months before he died. He said Mom always felt guilty, but it was an accident. She didn't mean to kill Roland. They named me Neil Roland Fisher to honor my uncle."

Neil's story was a tragic story and everyone on that porch knew that nothing else would be done about Roland's death. "I think he should be buried in a cemetery, don't you?" Booth felt that was the least that Neil could do for his uncle.

"Yes Sir. I'll make arrangements to have him buried next to my grandparents and he'll have a proper stone too." Neil sighed. "I wanted to unbury Roland and give him a proper burial, but I didn't know where he'd been buried. Dad said in the barn. I tried to look a few times, but I couldn't find him."

"He was buried five feet in the ground." Brennan appreciated that Neil had at least tried to find his uncle.

That made sense and Neil nodded his head. "Thanks for letting me know. I'm sorry that you had to go through all of this trouble. I should have said something when the Sheriff asked me about the skeleton they had found, but . . . but I didn't know what to do. My mother panicked. She didn't mean to kill my uncle. It was an accident."

"I understand." Sheriff Kramer rubbed his chin. "You did wrong by not telling me, but I understand why you did it." Kramer walked to the steps and descended them. "Agent Booth, if you could arrange to have Roland Fisher's remains sent to the Miller Funeral Home in Somerset, I'd appreciate it."

"Sure." Pointing at his SUV, Booth watched Brennan walk down the steps and move over to his truck. "Mr. Fisher, I'm sorry for your loss."

Surprised, Fisher looked at Booth and gave him a sad smile. "Thank you. My Dad said that Roland had a beautiful voice and sang like an angel."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

"This case was really bizarre, Bones, but I couldn't have solved it without you." Booth was driving out of town. Another case was closed and his solve rate was starting to climb. "We make a pretty good team."

"We do, Booth." Brennan had found the case to be fascinating and she was pleased that they had been able to solve it in a timely fashion. "I feel sorry for Neil."

"Yeah, me too." He was pretty sure that Neil was relieved that the family secret was now out in the open. "It must have been a shock when his father told him about Roland and what happened to him . . . My family may have been a mess, but poor Neil . . . what happened was so messed up."

Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, my family history is a sad one, but not as sad as this one. My parents are dead and I have no idea where my brother is, but at least my mother wasn't a murderer."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	15. Chapter 15

(The year is 2004.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Booth enjoyed it when Parker was visiting him and over the last two years, Brennan had grown to love the little boy. He was an active child and when he came for visits, she tried to spend at least a few hours of her time with Booth and Parker. They were the only family she had and she tried to make sure the boy enjoyed his stay at their apartment.

Since the child was three years old, Booth thought it was time that Parker slept on the bed in the guest bedroom and not in a crib. It was almost impossible to keep the toddler in his crib anyway. He usually managed to escape from the crib in the early morning hours and make his way from his bedroom to Booth and Brennan's bedroom. Closing and locking doors wasn't an option since Booth wanted to be able to hear his son if he became sick or cried during the night from a bad dream.

The couple had learned to wear pajamas or shorts and t-shirts when they went to bed. The first time Parker had escaped from his crib, he had managed to find their bedroom and after moving a chair closer to the bed he had stepped onto the bed and walked over to where his father lay. The fact that both adults were naked caused Booth to momentarily panic. He scooped his son up into his arms, woke Brennan and told her to get dressed while he carried his son back into the boy's bedroom. Once he had the boy in his crib, he grabbed some shorts from the dresser and pulled them on. He had known that his son was growing up, but he hadn't realized that the crib was no longer of any use.

The first night Booth placed Parker on the bed instead of the crib, the boy accepted that he wasn't going to use the crib anymore and he seemed happy. This did present a problem though. By letting him use the bed, the boy was free to move around when he wasn't asleep and Booth worried about what mischief Parker might get into while he and Brennan were asleep. The apartment was as child friendly as it could be, but there were expensive computers and laptops available for curious little boys to try to play with and Brennan had valuable antiques on her shelves in the living room. They had placed her oldest collectables on the higher shelves and Booth's collectables on the lower shelves to try to protect the antiquities, but they knew that the collectables might have to be boxed up until the child was older. Booth didn't want to curtail his son's curiosity, but he cringed when Parker tried to climb the lower shelf hoping to reach the antiquities.

They were both learning what it was like to have an active toddler living with them and they found it an interesting experience. Brennan had always assumed that she had no maternal instincts and she would be a terrible mother, but Parker's love for her made her realize that her perceived short comings weren't insurmountable. The boy was good natured and usually only got fussy when he was hungry or he grew frustrated trying to accomplish a new task and failed.

Brennan had bought several learning toys and kept them in the living room. She eventually placed them on the lowest shelves in her book cases, so the boy could choose what toy he wished to play with. It wasn't unusual for him to choose a toy and bring it to his father or Brennan to play with him. The first time the child had brought a toy to Brennan and said 'dere' she had been both surprised and proud that he considered her a suitable playmate. Parker loved Brennan and sometimes gave her his complete attention. Booth loved his son's generosity and loved the fact that his girlfriend was so kind to Parker. She had told him many times in the past that she was uncomfortable with children and they never seemed to like her, but he had found that last part hard to believe. Parker definitely liked her and as far as Booth was concerned that proved that her perception about children disliking her was wrong. She might be uncomfortable with children, but she was relaxed around his son and he felt she was a very good parent. With time, he thought that Brennan would realize that her comfort level with children was better than she thought. He loved her and wanted her to be happy.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Sunday evening and the apartment was quiet once more. Rebecca had picked up her son and now Booth and Brennan had their apartment to themselves.

"Bones, what would you say to us buying a house?" Booth wanted his son to have a backyard and his own bedroom and to accomplish that they needed a house. The guest bedroom was Parker's when he was there, but the rest of the time it was just a place to store Booth's sport's gear and Parker's toys. They never really had guests stay overnight, but it was there just in case it was ever needed.

She hadn't really thought about it. "A house? Why would you want a house? This apartment is located just a few miles from the Jeffersonian and the Hoover. We are close to the fire department and not too far from a hospital. It is an ideal location. Any house we bought would have to be further away from our places of work. Potentially, we could end up in Maryland or Virginia. The commute to and from work would be nightmarish. We've been caught in it often enough going to and coming back from crime scenes. It would be very inconvenient to leave this apartment and move to a house."

He heard her out and debated whether or not to continue talking about the issue with her. He didn't want to force her to do something she didn't want to do, but he had to think of his son, too. "When Parker gets older, he's going to need a yard to play in. The only place he has to play in right now is the park and . . . well, it's not the same as having a place to build a tree house or to build cardboard forts or to set up a pool in the summer or an ice rink in the winter time. Kids love to own a yard. They're free to use their imagination and it's harder to do that in a public park . . . plus he could have his own bedroom and we could set up a home office for you to write in . . . I wouldn't have to go down to the pub or the Founding Fathers when you want to work on your novels or magazine articles. If we had a house you could have an office and I could have some place to watch television, not just the guest bedroom . . . it would be better for all of us, not just Parker."

His list of reasons was probably rehearsed, but Brennan was willing to debate the subject with him. She knew that he was trying to plead his case and he was doing an excellent job. His reasons were logical and she appreciated that. "But housing is expensive right now. It's a seller's market not a buyer's market . . . all housing markets are cyclical. Perhaps we should wait a year or two before we make a purchase. Parker is still a toddler and his need for a yard is probably not as important as it will be when he is older . . . I assume you will want to help pay for the house."

"Of course, I'm not a leech." Booth frowned at his girlfriend. Money was a sore spot between them sometimes, but he did his best to share in the bills they had and he still paid her rent. He wasn't his father. He would never live in a dump because liquor was more important than a roof over the head of his family. He would pay his way and he would always try to pay his fair share. "Any house we buy has to be paid for by both of us. I'm not going to live off of you just because you have money."

Solemnly, Brennan nodded her head. "I have been saving the money you have been paying me in a separate savings account. I knew that someday you would probably want to buy a house. You've talked about owning a house since we moved in together, but you talked about it being far into the future . . . When the time comes to buy a house, we will use that money as part of a down payment. Your contribution will be substantial, Booth."

Surprised, Booth moved across the room and sat down next to her. "You've been saving my rent money for a down payment for a house? . . . Man, you just blow me away sometimes . . . Okay, let's wait for another year and see what the market looks like then . . . Bones, I know you like this place, but with my stuff and your stuff crammed into every room and then Parker's stuff added . . . well, it's kind of a mess most of the time and I know that must bug the shit out of you. I know you like organization and it's pretty hard to organize when we have a lot of stuff and not a lot of space . . . When we look, we should get a three or four bedroom house and we need a basement . . . a nice backyard for Parker and maybe something close a nice park."

Since he was willing to wait, Brennan smiled and placed her hand on his thigh. "I think we're doing a good job of compromising Booth. Angela says we don't compromise as much as we should, but I think we do."

"Angela." Booth sighed. "She likes to butt in too much into our lives. The last time we had a disagreement you'd have thought we were going to split up the way she was behaving towards me. She's a pain in the ass."

Amused, Brennan laughed. "She just wants to protect me, Booth even though I don't need protection. We have a tendency to argue, but we eventually compromise. I told her that is how we handle conflict, but it makes her uncomfortable sometimes. Other times she finds us very amusing. She can be a very confusing friend to have."

"Yeah, she is your best friend. I get it." Booth just wished Angela would mind her own business and stop taking sides when he and Brennan were trying to resolve a problem. "Still, she's nosey and her advice isn't always the best . . . never mind about her. We have the apartment to ourselves, Bones. What do you want to do?"

Thinking it over carefully, Brennan removed her top. "I think I would like to walk around the apartment naked and perhaps after we eat dinner we can make love on the couch or in the kitchen."

Surprised, Booth was quick to nod his head. "Great plan. Won't hear me say anything negative about that plan."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	16. Chapter 16

(The year is 2004.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

A bank robbery had gone horribly wrong and six customers, two bank tellers and the bank manager had been killed. When Booth had entered the bank lobby, he could see that it had been a blood bath and none of the victims had had a chance. There were pools of blood everywhere and the looks of horror on the faces of some of the dead were something that Booth would not forget.

The teller drawers were empty of cash and the safety deposit area was open and ransacked. One surviving customer was alive, though barely. Although Booth wanted to talk to her, he knew that she needed medical help and he had her transported to the hospital as quickly as possible. Before she was whisked away, she did manage to say that there had been three bank robbers and that one of them was a woman. Though she tried, she was in a lot of pain and she couldn't say anything else. If she survived, he would talk to her in the hospital. In the meantime, techs recovered the recordings from the bank cameras and an agent got a copy of the recordings from a convenience store located across the street. The recording from the store covered their parking lot, the street and part of the bank's parking lot.

His notebook in his hand, Booth tried to record what he had seen in the bank. The teller's bodies behind the counter. The bank manager in front of the bank vault. The customers had been lined up along the counter. Obviously when the shooting started, some of them tried to run for the door and were shot in the back. The most horrifying sight was the little boy who had died clinging to his stuffed bear. It made Booth sick and he fought to keep from throwing up. Dead bodies were not new to him, but that child reminded him too much of his own little son. He vowed to find the murderers and he would make sure that the child received justice.

Oooooooooooooooooo

As soon as he could, Booth talked to the surviving customer. Chrissy was still groggy from the anesthesia, but she insisted she could talk about what had happened. "I was waiting in line, there was a guy in front of me being waited on . . . three people entered the bank, they had hoods on. They were all white . . . or I think they were . . . One of them was a woman, she talked to one of the robbers and called him Dave . . . he was mad that she mentioned his name and back handed her. He ordered us to line up in front of the counter . . . He . . . he walked around the counter and he . . . and he ordered the tellers to put the money in a bag . . . the other man and the women tried to get the manager to open the vault, but he couldn't open it so they made him open the safety deposit room . . . they used a crowbar to break open the boxes inside . . . it sounded awful. Once they left the room, Dave walked around to the side of the counter and started shooting. I couldn't believe it . . . He killed them . . . the tellers the manager. All three of the robbers ran around the counter and Dave, he . . . he started shooting at us." Sobbing, Chrissy wiped her hands across her tear-filled cheeks. "I fell right away. I pretended that I was dead and I hoped . . . and I hoped he wouldn't check on me . . . he didn't. I was in a lot of pain, but I held still . . . the alarms were ringing. One of the tellers must have pushed a button when the shooting started . . . it was loud and everyone was shouting until they were shot and then the woman robber screamed at Dave and told him that the cops would kill them because of him . . . he laughed . . . he laughed and then I could hear the door open and they left . . . I couldn't move. The pain was bad . . . was so bad. I wish I knew more . . . there was a little boy . . . did he . . . did he . . ." She couldn't ask the question, but Booth knew what she wanted.

"I'm sorry, the little boy died." He witnessed Chrissy place her right hand over her eyes and grieve for the child. He patted her arm, trying to let her know she wasn't alone. "I'm going to get these guys, Ma'am. I promise you that I'm going to get them."

Unable to speak, Chrissy nodded her head and continued to cry.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Since Booth wanted the killers caught as soon as possible, he had Brennan and her team involved in the case from the beginning. He needed the identity of the bank robbers and he would take any help he could get.

Though the robbers wore gloves and hoods, Hodgins came up with the idea of checking the bullet casings for prints. "Come on, who wears gloves when they load a gun? I mean it would be the smart thing to do if you're planning to rob a bank or kill someone, but most criminals aren't that smart."

"I get it." Booth thought that kind of thinking was brilliant though he wouldn't tell Hodgins that. He still felt uncomfortable around Brennan's people. They were geniuses and they knew he wasn't. Most of the time he had to order them to talk to him in English and that just brought on condescending smiles. It was annoying. "Let me know if you get anything."

The autopsies had been done by the county coroner. He had verified that the victims had all been killed by the same gun. He provided the bullets he removed from the bodies and had nothing else to contribute. Brennan had studied the medical reports and agreed with the coroner's findings. "I'm sorry, Booth. I haven't been able to identify who Dave is. When you find him, you should be able to tie him to all six murders and the attempted murder of Chrissy Adams."

"My techs are looking at the bullet casings to see if that gun has been used in other crimes." Booth was hoping for more from Brennan. "You've seen the videos. Did you see anything that might help? Anything at all?"

Brennan nodded her head. "The killer Dave was approximately 5' 11'' and weighed roughly 170 pounds. The second man was 6'2'' and weighed approximately 220 pounds. It may be possible that we might be able to identify the second man."

"How the hell are you going to do that?" Booth was surprised. What had she seen that no one else had seen?

"The larger man made a mistake." She knew that her announcement had surprised Booth, but she and Hodgins had been working on the premise that the bank manager might be the key to the identity of the robbers. They had witnessed the bank manager being abused on the video while the bigger robber had tried to get him to open the bank vault. The manager had been slapped and punched, but he had not opened the vault. Hodgins had studied the gestures made by the manager and determined that the vault couldn't be opened until a certain time had passed. The manager had frantically pointed at the clock near the vault trying to get them to understand. The bigger man and the woman had then shoved the manager over to the safety deposit room and forced him to open the door by placing a gun next to his head. The man had been terrified, they had all seen that and the big man had hit the manager on the side of his face with his gun when the door was opened.

Under the watchful eye of the coroner, Brennan had examined the manager's corpse hoping to find some needed evidence. Hodgins had taken possession of the clothes with the permission of the coroner and examined them very closely. Their hard work had paid off.

They had arranged to meet with Booth at the coroner's office and Brennan and Hodgins explained what they had found while the coroner sat at his desk and observed them. "The taller bank robber was the one who emptied some of the boxes in the safety deposit room. He manhandled the bank manager and hit him with his gun a few times. He slapped and punched the manager to get what he wanted and at one point the man had spit on the manager."

"Unbelievable." Booth was smiling. "What an idiot. Are you running DNA tests on the spit? How long will it take to get an identity?"

Pleased that Booth was happy with their discovery, Brennan smiled. "We are doing DNA testing at this moment. Of course, an identification will depend upon if the robber's DNA is in the databases we have access to, but I don't think that will be a problem."

"What do you mean?" Booth was curious. He had been right to bring Brennan in on the case and the more he listened the more excited he became. "Do you have something else?"

"We do." Hodgins butted in to the conversation. "Angela looked at the tapes and the camera in the safety deposit room and it showed that the big guy had a tattoo on his right arm. When he raised his hand to strike the manager his sleeve slid back down his arm and it exposed a navy tattoo. The man was probably in the Navy."

This was more than he had hoped for. "As soon as you know who the guy is let me know. This is great. I should be able to connect him to the other two." Booth moved to the door. "Good job."

Hodgins laughed. "I guess we did good."

Brennan nodded her head. "Of course, we did. We are very good at what we do."

Envious, Hodgins looked around the coroner's office and noted the equipment that was there. "I need to talk to Dr. Goodman. We can use this equipment at the Lab. It would be more efficient if we can do our testing there instead of having to borrow Dr. Wright's equipment."

"I can give you a list of the equipment I have here and you can give it to Dr. Goodman." Dr. Wright was a busy man and sharing his equipment with the Jeffersonian wasn't always convenient.

"Thanks." Hodgins' eyes gleamed. "I appreciate that."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Using the positive outcome from the DNA taken from the bank manager's body, Booth tracked down Brent Robertson and had him brought into the Hoover. "Brent, you're not very bright. You spat on the bank manager during the robbery. That gave us your DNA and now we can prove you were there . . . nine people were murdered during that robbery. One woman survived."

"I didn't kill anyone. Dave did that." Brent was sweating. "I just emptied the safety deposit boxes."

A malicious smile on Booth's face, he leaned back and crossed his arms against his chest. "Someone is going to fry for those dead people, Brent. You were there and we can prove it. It doesn't matter if you didn't pull the trigger. You were part of the hold up of that bank. That means you're liable for the deaths."

Desperate, Brent leaned forward and made his plea. "Look, what if I give you the name of the person who actually killed those people? Take the death penalty off the table and I'll plead in exchange for a life sentence . . . I didn't kill anyone. We didn't plan to kill anyone. That was Dave's doing. I don't know why he did it except he's nuts. I didn't want to rob the bank, but my cousin talked me into it. She needed the money to pay off a lot of debt and she knew I could use some money too. I'm not a murderer."

Booth glanced at the one-way mirror and nodded his head. Patiently, he waited for Caroline Julian to enter the room and sit down. "Mr. Robertson, you give me the name of the killer and the woman in your little gang and I'll let you plead to a life sentence. No games though." Caroline glared at the man and wished she didn't need to make any deals. "I want their real names and where we can find them. Once they're in custody your deal will take effect."

"Dave Robicheaux . . . well his Christian name is David Aloysius Robicheaux. The woman is my cousin, Betsy Robertson." Brent was still sweating. He didn't want to die. "You can find them both in Orange, Virginia. Give me a piece of paper and I'll draw a map to their house."

Willing to comply, Booth handed his notebook and pen over to Brent. "Are they there?"

Brenan shrugged his shoulders. "They should be. The house is on the edge of town and a little isolated. Dave doesn't like having neighbors. He says too many people are nosy. The plan was to rob the bank and then go home. Wait a month and rob a bank somewhere else like Richmond or Annapolis. Once we had enough money we were going to New Zealand or Australia. Someplace that speaks English."

"Why that far?" Caroline was curious. "Why those places? They speak English in Canada."

"To get as far away from my family as I can." Brent scowled at the prosecutor. "My cousin hates the family too . . . Dave will go wherever Betsy goes. He don't care as long as he's with Betsy. He doesn't have any family to miss."

Booth took his notebook back and studied the map. "This had better check out."

Unconcerned, Brent leaned back against his chair. "It will . . . Dave owns a lot of guns. He's a hoarder. He probably owns like thirty guns, so watch yourself."

"The man murdered nine people." Booth stood up. "The FBI knows how to handle bastards like Dave."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

They had found and cornered David Robicheaux in his home. His girlfriend Betsy wasn't at home at the time and that was great news as far as Booth was concerned. He had feared a hostage situation and now he just had to deal with the murderer and no one else. Booth had an agent in a borrowed UPS uniform try to deliver a package to Betsy at her home. Dave had come to the door and he had been furious when Agent O'Conner had refused to leave the package. The Agent had said that Robicheaux's anger was palpable. He'd tried to look through the open doorway, but Robicheaux had blocked his view. He had hoped to see if the murderer had weapons in the room, but that effort had failed.

Next, Booth had the two houses within walking distance evacuated and the road that lead to Robicheaux's house was blocked by the local police. The FBI set up agents in the back of the property as well as the front to keep the murderer from running away. Satisfied, Booth had used a bullhorn to call out to Robicheaux and was met with gun shots from a front window.

Several Agents had returned fire, but Booth had that stopped. Why shoot up the house when they wanted the man inside? "David Robicheaux, I need you to come out of the house with your hands up. If you don't come out, we'll make you come out."

Shouting from the living room, Robicheaux shot towards Booth who was standing behind his SUV. "No way! You have no right to be here. You're trespassing now get off my property!"

Furious that his SUV now had holes in the passenger side, Booth ground his teeth for a few seconds then calmed down. He had been taught how to control his emotions when he was under fire in the Army and he used that ability now. "You have two minutes to come out of the house! Do it Robicheaux!"

Shots were fired once more and Booth waited for the bullets to stop hitting his truck. Since the murderer was considered armed and dangerous, Booth knew that they had no choice, but to force Robicheaux out. Motioning towards Agent Donahue, he had the man fire smoke bombs into the house breaking windows in the living room. After a few seconds he motioned for Agent Benning to fire smoke bombs into the back of the house. Now they waited.

It didn't take long. The front door opened and smoke poured out of the house. No one moved and they all waited to see what Robicheaux would do. A rifle and a pistol were thrown out of the door and landed in the yard. Wary of the murderers' intent, Booth shouted. "Come outside with your hands up. Hands up high!"

Coughing, Robicheaux waved a white dishcloth through the door then let it fall to the porch floor. "I'm coming out."

Their eyes on the open doorway, Booth and his fellow agents waited for Robicheaux to appear. Suddenly the man ran through the opening and across the porch. He had a pistol in each hand and he started to fire them. At the end of the porch, he leaped past the steps and continued to charge across the yard.

With little choice Booth shot the murderer in the forehead as his fellow agents also fired at the man, some of them hitting their target. Booth's shot was the fatal shot and the event was over. Now they needed to find Betsy Robertson.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The manhunt over, Betsy had called from a friend's house and surrendered to the FBI. She had heard about what had happened to Dave and she didn't want to end up dead. Once she was in custody, Booth interrogated her at the Hoover with Caroline in the room and Betsy was arrested for armed robbery and accessory to murder.

Arriving home, Booth found the apartment to be quiet. Brennan was still at work and wouldn't be able to come home until her budget meeting with Goodman was finished. After taking a shower, he drank a few glasses of Scotch and tried to keep from thinking about what he had done to Robicheaux. He had killed a lot of men while he was in the army and he had hoped that he would never have to kill anyone else, but he had obviously found the wrong profession if he wanted that to happen. Unable to work up the energy, he didn't turn on any lamps as the sun set and the apartment became dark. The only light in the apartment came from the night light in the guest bedroom and the light over the stove and that was fine with Booth. His mood was dark and the gloomy rooms just added to the darkness he felt inside.

Brennan came home to a dark apartment. Surprised she turned on the lamp next to the couch and found her lover sitting there, staring at the coffee table, an empty glass in his hand. "Are you alright?"

"No . . . I had to kill Robicheaux. He wouldn't give up and I shot him." Booth exhaled deeply. "I hate killing . . . He murdered nine people including Jimmy Whitaker. The boy was just five years old and Robicheaux killed him. Jimmy won't get to grow up and see what the world is like. His grandmother is dead too and . . . and Robicheaux did that. He killed Gladys Whitaker and her little grandson just for the hell of it and I killed Robicheaux."

"You had no choice, Booth." Brennan sat down next to Booth and hooked her arm around his arm. "He killed nine people. You did what you had to do." She knew that he was in emotional pain and she didn't know what to do to help him. "I . . . I wish I knew what to say to make you feel better, but I don't. I'm not very good at this sort of thing . . . I'm sorry."

Booth turned his head and kissed her cheek. "Don't do that Bones. Your being here is what I need. There aren't any magic words to make me feel better, but you just sitting next to me, holding my arm, talking to me . . . that's the magic I need right now . . . Would you go to church with me?"

"Yes, I will." Brennan was an atheist, but she knew her lover was a believer and he probably needed to go to confession. She had studied the Catholic Church and she knew that there were rituals that could soothe believers when they were in trouble or were depressed. "Would you like to go this evening?"

"Yeah." Booth sighed. "Robicheaux is my 51st kill. That's a lot to be responsible for."

She leaned her head against his head. "You've rid the world of horrible men, Booth. The men you've killed were murderers and you did the right thing. By killing them, you saved lives and brought justice to those whose lives were taken so callously. You did what you had to do. I'm proud of you, Booth."

"You are?" In his life, the only person who had ever said that to him was his grandfather. It meant so much to him. "Thank you."

"I love you, Booth." She wanted to cry, her lover sounded so sad, so lost. "I love you."

He closed his eyes and felt a tear escape down his cheek. "I love you too, Bones."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	17. Chapter 17

(The year is 2005.)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

He had flowers delivered to Brennan's office with an envelope. Surprised, Brennan had placed the vase of daffodils on her desk and opened the envelope. Removing a slip of paper, she smiled as she read it.

 _Bones, happy anniversary. We've been living together for three years and I wanted to let you know they've been the happiest years of my life. If you can get off early today let me know. I'd like to take you out to dinner and maybe a little dancing. If you can't, don't worry about it. We can go out Friday or Saturday night._

 _Love Booth_

Placing the note back in the envelope, Brennan called her lover.

 _Booth._

"I received your flowers. They're very pretty . . . I didn't buy you anything." She felt sad that she hadn't seen the significance of this particular anniversary. She tried to remember important dates, like Booth's birthday or Parker's, but the anniversary of them becoming a couple hadn't seemed very important to her.

 _Aw, don't worry about that. It's just that these last three years have been the best and you're the one that made that happen. I wanted to show you that I love you, that's all._

"I love you too, Booth." Brennan had been just as happy as her partner. "You've given me a family. Something I haven't had since I was fifteen years old. I really should have placed more significance on this particular date." She hoped that Booth understood just how important he was to her. "I will tell Dr. Goodman that I'm leaving early today. Will three o'clock be fine?"

 _Three? Wow, I was going to be happy with five or six. Three is great. I'll plan on leaving work at three too . . . Maybe we can have a little afternoon delight before we go to dinner._

"Is that a way of saying that you want sex?" It amused Brennan how many ways Booth had to describe the sex act.

 _Well . . . yeah. I . . . it's our anniversary._

Her finger lightly touching one of the daffodil petals, Brennan smiled. "I think an afternoon of delight should be on our schedule too . . . I'll see you this afternoon."

 _You'll see all of me this afternoon._

His laughter ended the call and Brennan couldn't help but laugh. Booth made her smile more often than she had done in the past and she knew it was because he cared about her and yes, that he loved her. Before she met him, she had thought that love was just chemicals influencing emotions, but she now knew that love did exist. As an abandoned child, she had never dared to dream that she would ever care for anyone as much as she did Booth. She had thought she would be alone for the rest of her life. Happy that she had been proven wrong, Brennan left her office in search of her supervisor. She decided to leave at 2:30 p.m. instead of three and she hoped Dr. Goodman would approve her request for time off. She wanted to stop by a little shop near her apartment and buy her lover a present and an expensive bottle of Scotch seemed the best present she could buy. She might also buy a nice bottle of wine for the weekend. After all, there was nothing wrong with celebrating their anniversary again on Saturday. Was there?

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Their evening had started out well. Booth had made a reservation at Le Diplomate and they had both enjoyed their meal. Once their dessert had been eaten, they left the restaurant and had gone for a walk. The night air was cooler than usual and they enjoyed it knowing that summer would be arriving soon and when it did, so would the heat and humidity.

With no real plan in mind, they walked a few blocks until they found a bar advertising live music. Once inside they found that the music was not to their taste and left. "Well that was disappointing." Booth looked up and down the sidewalk and pointed back the way they had come. "I didn't really plan this part of the night very well. Let's go home. We can go dancing this weekend if you want to."

"That's alright, Booth. I would prefer to go home now, since we have to both be at work tomorrow." Her arm hooked around his arm, Brennan noticed a young person walking towards them. From professional experience, she judged the person to be a young woman. The scarf over her lower face was odd since it really wasn't that cold.

Booth noticed the woman as she approached. He had assumed she was a man until she got closer. The young lady was dressed oddly and that made Booth wary. When the young lady moved her left hand up from her side she showed that she was holding a long bladed knife and Booth knew that he needed to control the situation as quickly as possible. Slowing to a stop, he moved his hand towards the lower part of his jacket and flipped it open exposing his holstered pistol. Placing his hand on the grip he smiled a humorless smile. "FBI. I'm pretty sure you don't want to go down for assaulting a Federal Agent. Do you? . . . Plus, never bring a knife to a gun fight. You'll lose."

Brennan released Booth's arm and stepped to the side. If the woman decided to attack she wanted to give her boyfriend room to respond and herself room to help him.

Lowering her arm to her side, the disguised woman shook her head. "I just wanted some money for food. I'm really hungry."

"You could have asked." Brennan reached inside her purse, pulled out her wallet, fished out a twenty dollar bill and held it up. "I'm going to place this money on the window sill behind me. Take it, get something to eat and consider your future options. Robbing someone with a knife could turn out badly for you, not just your victim." Placing the bill on the ledge, she moved back next to her boyfriend. "Let her take the money, Booth."

Surprised with Brennan's actions, Booth nodded his head and led his girlfriend across the street, keeping an eye on their would-be assailant. Once the young lady had grabbed her money, she ran down the sidewalk and Booth turned to face Brennan. "I think it would have been better if you had just let me arrest her. She's going to get killed or kill someone if she keeps that shit up."

Watching the figure disappear into the night, Brennan shook her head. "She's a child Booth and she's very thin. I preferred to give her the means to get some food. Her hand was trembling the whole time she held the knife out. I believe that this was her first attempt at armed robbery and she was afraid."

Placing his arm around Brennan' shoulders, Booth started to walk back to his truck. "If she had asked me for some money I would have given her some. Holding a knife on me and you is a crime. A stint in lockup might have scared her enough to not do this again."

She knew that Booth thought he was right and she didn't want to argue with him. "Perhaps, but that twenty dollars will allow her to eat tonight and perhaps tomorrow if she uses it wisely. In the meantime, we are celebrating our anniversary and we can't do that if you're busy booking someone into jail or worse in the hospital."

"Okay, you win." Booth shook his head. "You have a big heart, Bones. I hope that kid doesn't do this again . . . When we get home, how about some ice cream? That fancy dinner was a little too fancy for me. Their meals wouldn't fill up Parker let alone an adult."

Amused, Brennan laughed. "You were the one who made the reservation. The next time you do, make one at a moderately priced restaurant or we can eat at the Founding Fathers. And yes, ice cream sounds like a wonderful idea."

"Well, I was trying to impress you." Booth moved them back across the sidewalk as they approached his SUV. "It was good food, just not enough."

"You don't have to impress me Booth." Brennan stopped forcing Booth to do the same. Leaning forward she kissed him. "I would have been happy eating at home. You're an excellent cook."

Returning her kiss, Booth placed his arm around her and pulled her closer. "Now you tell me . . . Let's go home. Maybe I'll make us a little alfredo to go with that ice cream." Her kisses were passionate and Booth was starting to respond when a car passed by and honked at them. Separating, Booth watched the car move down the street. "Asshole." Once the car was out of sight, Booth pecked Brennan's lips and released her. "I guess we should go home."

"I think we should too."

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

From the end of a dark alleyway down the street, the young woman watched the couple as they kissed then got into their truck and drove away. With tears in her eyes, she stared at the money in her hand and thanked God that nothing worse had happened that night. She hadn't eaten for three days and she had started to feel desperate. Now that she had some money, she felt that she could husband the twenty and buy a few cheap meals with it. In the meantime, she would continue to look for work. If she didn't find anything then she would have to return to her foster home. A beating by her foster father once in a while was better than starving on the street. She only had fourteen months to go before she aged out of the system. Then she would be free to live where she wanted. If she could find a part time job, she might be able to save enough money to buy a ticket to Ohio. She had a cousin that lived there and she was sure that Patsy would help her if she asked.

Grateful for the kindness that the woman had shown her, Terry jammed the money into her pants pocket. "Get your shit together, Terry . . . just go home, let Bill hit you a few times and get it over with. Just don't be the loser Mom was. Get your shit together."

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	18. Chapter 18

(The Pilot)

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Ooooooooooooooooooo

As many cases as they had worked on together, this was the first case they had worked on where they had actually butted heads. Brennan had argued with him a lot, mostly about his avoiding going after Senator Bethlehem because he was a Senator. He had tried to be cautious because Washington D.C. was all about politics and careers were made and destroyed if you went after someone powerful and you couldn't prove your case. He wasn't afraid of the Senator, but he didn't want to go after the man unless he had a good reason to.

Brennan didn't care about politics, she only cared about justice and she wasn't afraid of anyone. She knew that Senator Bethlehem was the one they should be concentrating on in the death of their victim. Cleo Eller had had an affair with the man and when her body was found it was proven that she was pregnant. After using a piece of gum that the Senator had chewed and thrown away, Brennan had found that his DNA proved that the fetus was his baby. It seemed logical to her that the Senator had killed Cleo because her pregnancy was a problem. After all he was a married man and it might ruin his career.

Although Booth knew that the Senator was the father of Cleo's baby, he was not sure the guy was the murderer and that caused a lot of friction between the partners. After examining the evidence, he finally decided that maybe he had been too worried about going after the Senator and managed to get a warrant to search the politician's house. Agents had found the sledge hammer use to kill Cleo, but the basement had not shown any signs of blood or diatomaceous earth. Diatomaceous earth had been found on the victim and therefore it would have been part of the crime scene. Since they hadn't found any at the Senator's home, they couldn't prove Cleo had been killed there. Booth was sure that the Senator might end up walking away from the murder and Brennan was appalled.

It wasn't until Brennan was talking to Hodgins in the break room that it dawned on her that Ken Thompson, the Senator's aide was the killer. He raised tropical fish and that was where they could find the diatromaceous earth. She grew concerned that while everyone was concentrating on the Senator, Ken was probably using the time to destroy evidence that he had killed Cleo Eller. After ordering Hodgins to call Booth and let him know that she was on the way to Ken's house, she drove to the aide's house and confronted him.

Ken had been surprised to see Brennan in his house, but he was in the midst of dowsing his hobby room with gasoline and he wasn't going to let her stop what he was doing.

With few options available to stop Ken from lighting a match and dropping it on the gas soaked floor, she shot him in the leg. Booth arrived shortly afterward, took in what was going on and called for an ambulance and back up.

Much to Booth's annoyance, once Ken was arrested for the murder of Cleo Eller he was also ordered to arrest his girlfriend.

"But why? Ken Thompson was going to burn me alive. I had to stop him." Brennan found her situation to be ridiculous. "It was self-defense."

Embarrassed, Booth cuffed his girlfriend to take her to the Hoover. Deputy Director Cullen wanted everything done by the book and if Booth couldn't or wouldn't do his job, then he would find an agent that would. "Look you shot the guy without warning. I have to arrest you. You can work this out in court. In fact, I'm sure this isn't going to go anywhere, but if I don't arrest you, then some other agent will . . . Cullen doesn't like you. I'm sorry."

Calmly, she let her boyfriend cuff her and drive her to the Hoover. It was true that she was angry that she was being treated so poorly since she had done nothing wrong, but she also knew that it had to play out this way. Booth was doing his job and didn't she consider him to be one of the best agents at the Hoover? She only worked with the best and Booth was the best.

Once she was at the Hoover, Booth consulted with the federal prosecutor Caroline Julian and she decided to press charges. Caroline was well aware that the eyes of the nation were on this case because it involved a Senator, a dead pregnant girl, an aide who had killed the young woman and a mystery writer on the New York Times Best Sellers List. Brennan was charged with felonious assault and she would stand before a judge. Pulling Brennan to the side, Caroline gave her some legal advice and hoped she would take it. Booth didn't know what was said, but he was sure that Caroline was trying to help his partner, at least he hoped so.

Released on her own recognizance, Brennan drove home and called a lawyer. She was told that Beatrice Dore was the lawyer she needed, but Dore did charge a lot of money for her services. Brennan didn't care about the price, after all, what was money for if not to help you when you needed it?

Booth arrived home to find his girlfriend in the kitchen making a salad. "Am I still allowed to live here?" He was worried that his relationship with Brennan was over.

Her back towards Booth, Brennan continued to tear lettuce and place it in a large bowl. "I shouldn't have been arrested. I was protecting myself."

Not sure what to say, Booth leaned against the doorway. "I know you were, but Caroline and Cullen want you to go through the system. Their afraid that it will be a public relations nightmare if they let you shoot a Senator's aide and just let you walk away from it . . . You're not going to go to trial, Bones. The judge is going to hear the evidence and he's going to throw it out."

"To answer your question, yes you still live here. I'm just not happy about being arrested." She placed the head of lettuce on the counter and turned to face her boyfriend. "You were ordered to arrest me and you did your job. You're a good agent and that is why I work with you . . . Do I still work with you?" That was her biggest worry at the moment.

He had expected that question and he was ready to answer her. "Not until you go before the judge. You've been charged with a felony, so any cases you work on for the FBI would be considered tainted . . . Once the judge throws it out then we can work together again. Caroline has arranged for you to stand before Judge Peterson in three days . . . You're taking this calmer than I thought you would."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I've hired an attorney, Beatrice Dore. Caroline recommended that I call her. She's considered one of the best trial lawyers in the District."

Relived, Booth smiled. "She's a great lawyer. Caroline has lost a few cases against Ms. Dore, so she would know how great she is . . . I wish you had waited for me before you contacted Ken Thompson. If I had shot him then you wouldn't be in this mess . . . Ken Thompson is a murderer and if he thinks going after you will help his case, then he's mistaken. Nothing is going to help him now. He murdered Cleo Eller and her fetus. Thompson will be lucky if he gets life and not the death penalty."

Moving across the room, Brennan placed her arms around Booth and leaned against him. "I was angry with you for a while this afternoon, but I can't fault you for doing your job . . . I agree I should have waited for you to arrive at Ken's house before I entered it . . . I just wanted to preserve the crime scene. If he had burned his house down, Cleo Eller's murderer might have got away with her murder . . . There are a lot of rules that I still need to learn, but if I am still your partner I can assure you I will not make this mistake again."

His arms around his lover, Booth sighed. "Thank you for not being mad at me . . . I don't want to lose you, Bones. I love you."

"I know." Brennan kissed him. "I love you too. Our lives are very strange."

Chuckling, Booth leaned his head against her head. "Yeah, it's been strange since I met you. We're certainly not your typical boyfriend and girlfriend are we? I think this is the way our lives are going to be . . . from now on let me do the shooting in this partnership. I have a badge and it protects me better than a civilian. I have to account for every shot I make and I have to go before a board if I shoot someone, but you shooting people leaves you open for charges."

"Yes, you're probably right . . . but I will protect myself whenever necessary." Brennan still found the trouble she was in to be ludicrous. "I can take care of myself, but I will refrain from shooting anyone that doesn't deserve it."

He knew that he wasn't going to win this argument, so he diverted her attention. "Do you want me to order some Chinese takeout or are you just in the mood for salad?"

Stepping away from him, Brennan walked back over to the counter. "I'm in the mood for salad, but if you wish Chinese takeout then order it . . . you could order me some vegetable Lo Mein."

"You got it." Booth retrieved some menus from a cabinet drawer and studied it. "And Bones, I am sorry that I had to handcuff you and arrest you."

"I know." Brennan turned and smiled at her mate. "But let me clear, since I believe in the law I allowed that to happen. If I had been inclined, I'm sure I could have made the arrest very time consuming and painful."

Placing the menu down on the counter, Booth retrieved his phone from his jacket pocket. "As long as you remember I was a U.S. Army Ranger and I give as good as I get."

Acknowledging what Booth said with a nod of her head, Brennan turned back to her salad. "I'm sure this is not a typical couples conversation."

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	19. Chapter 19

(The Man in the SUV)

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Ooooooooooooooooooo

"You did what you had to do, Booth." Brennan carried a glass of wine over to where Booth sat and placed it on the coffee table. Sitting down next to him, she sipped some of the wine from her glass and placed the glass down next to his. "He was going to set off a dirty bomb. It would have killed a lot of people and made hundreds more of them sick."

He continued to stare at the clock on the opposite wall and tried not to take his frustration out on his girlfriend. "Look, I know that Bones . . . I do . . . I'm just . . . Farid Masruk killed his brother and he planned to kill others, but that doesn't make what I did any easier. It's hard to explain . . . I've killed fifty-two men in my life. I did it because what they were doing was evil and they had to be stopped, but killing someone isn't something I take lightly. I don't take pleasure in killing anyone. I do what I do to protect others . . . When I take the shot . . . I lose something inside of me. A bit of me dies with the one I kill."

She didn't know what to say. She knew that Booth was upset, but she didn't know what to say to help him. "I'm sorry, Booth . . . I wish I could help you."

"I keep telling myself that this isn't any different than when I killed David Robicheaux, but it is different. Robicheaux killed nine people including a five year old boy. He didn't want to surrender and came charging at me, so I killed him . . . It's different." Closing his eyes, he pictured the look on Masruk's face when he shot him. One minute the man had been alive and then next minute he was dead. He had brought his fate upon himself. Booth knew that but killing was becoming harder and harder to do. "I left the Army because I was tired of the killing. I want to . . . I don't know what I want to do." He was frustrated, but that frustration was with himself. He had a job to do and he had known when he joined the FBI that there would be times when he would have to use his gun. It just seemed that it hadn't been that long since he'd been in the army doing the exact same thing. "I've killed two men since I joined the FBI . . . I think I'm going to go to church." He stood up and shoved his hands in his pants pockets. "I'll be back in a while."

"Should I go with you?" She had been able to comfort him when he had killed the bank robber, but for some reason her lover was taking this kill harder and she wasn't sure why. She wished she did, so she could help him. She just hoped he understood that she would support him if he needed it.

He appreciated her offer, but he needed to face God by himself. Fifty-two dead men and if he kept working for the FBI then there would probably be more. "Thanks Bones. I know you want to help me as much as possible, but this time . . . I want to go to confession. I appreciate you wanting to come with me, but I just need to get myself straightened out and maybe if I can talk to my priest . . . I won't be gone too long."

As she watched him leave the apartment, Brennan felt that she had not done enough for her boyfriend, but he seemed sincere in his need for space and she wanted to give him room to handle his problem. She had never killed anyone, but she imagined that it could have a detrimental effect on the person doing the shooting. Killing Masruk had been hard for Booth and that death was now added to a large number of deaths that he was responsible for from his days in the army. She was worried that Booth might take Masruk's death too badly and decide to leave the FBI. She wasn't certain what would happen if he chose that path. He was a good man and a man of faith. He needed someone to tell him that what he had done was just, but she knew that she probably wasn't the one to do that. He needed his faith renewed and she wasn't a believer.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Confession had helped, but he really needed to talk to someone about what he had done. Sitting on a pew in the back of the church, Booth stared at the altar and wondered what Aldo was doing. The priest had always been a very good listener and he had always seemed to know what to say to give Booth peace of mind. Now Aldo was half a continent away.

"Excuse me, may I sit down next to you?"

His thoughts interrupted, Booth looked up and found Father Hebert staring at him. "Yeah, sure Father."

Once he was settled down next to his parishioner, Father Hebert cleared his throat. "I heard your confession earlier and I was wondering if you needed someone to talk to . . . you've only been in my parish for a few months, so you may not realize it, but I was in the Army too. I was in Operation Desert Storm and saw a lot of things I wish I could unsee. I left the service once my tour was up and entered the priesthood. I thought I would be of better use to God than in the army."

Surprised, Booth glanced at the priest then back at the altar. "I was in Desert Storm . . . I was 22 years old . . . it seems like a lifetime ago."

"Yes, it does." Not sure what to make of the younger man, the Father crossed his legs and leaned back against the bench. "Killing someone is not something anyone can take lightly, not and keep their soul . . . Sometimes we're called upon to do things that seem terrible, but if we don't do them then the ramifications are truly awful. You said you were the one that killed that young man that had a bomb at the Hamilton Cultural Center earlier this evening. There was a peace conference going on at the time . . . I saw it on the news earlier this evening."

Not sure what to say, Booth simply nodded his head.

"You saved a lot of lives, Seeley. If you hadn't killed him, he would have killed a lot of innocent people." Struggling to find the right words to say, the priest sighed. "Killing is a sin, that's true, but letting hundreds of people die would be horrifying. I am certain that God forgives you for saving his children from such a terrible fate. Remember Ecclesiastes 3? There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal. This is the time for you to heal . . . The Bible doesn't forbid you to kill in self-defense. You killed one man to save many. God forgives you Seeley. He loves you."

Swallowing, Booth nodded his head. "Thank you, Father . . . Sometimes I get afraid that God will stop loving me and . . ."

The priest patted Booth's knee. "He loves all of his children. He knows what's in their hearts."

"Thank you." Feeling better about what he had done, Booth turned to face the priest. "When I was in the army, I had to do a lot of things that were bad . . . I did those things to save lives, but it was still tough. That's the reason why I left the army. I don't want to kill anymore, but my job might require me to do that . . . I love my job, Father. I work for the FBI. I investigate murders and I'm good at it. I've helped solve a few cold cases and that gave the victim's families closure. I like the fact that people that have taken someone's life are being brought to justice and are paying for their crimes. Everyone deserves to have justice father."

"Yes, they do." Father Hebert could hear the pride that his parishioner had in his job. "If you must kill in the future I am sure it will be because you have to. God knows the difference. In the meantime, you are giving families the peace that they need and that my son is a good thing."

Grateful for the talk, Booth stood up. "Thanks Father. I appreciate you talking to me."

"You're welcome, Seeley. You can come to me at any time. My door is always open."

"Thanks Father."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The apartment was quiet. The lights were off in the living room, but their bedroom door was open and the light from that room spilled out into the living room. Moving to the bedroom doorway, Booth stopped and leaned against the doorframe. "Hey."

Brennan looked up from her magazine and smiled. "Hey yourself. I'm glad you're home."

Moving into the bedroom, Booth walked around the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress next to Brennan. "I didn't mean to be so gruff earlier. I just needed to work some things out."

"I understand." She studied his face and saw that he was calmer, more relaxed. "Did you go to church?"

"Yeah, I talked to Father Hebert. He helped me. I'm glad I switched churches. The other church just didn't seem to fit." Booth reached out and placed his hand on the side of her face. "I appreciated that you tried to help me earlier, Bones. I was just upset. I know you don't think you were helping me, but you were . . . I just worry about the things I do sometimes and I worry about what God thinks about it and . . . well, going to confession really helps me. I want you to know that I appreciated your offer to go with me too."

Using her hand to cover his hand, Brennan nodded her head. "I love you and I wanted to help you, but I don't have any religious beliefs. I'm afraid I didn't know what to say."

He removed his hand and moved closer to her. "Hey, you were there for me this evening and that counts for a hell of a lot. I love you, Bones." He kissed her and felt her respond. He loved her so much and she helped him more than she knew.

When their lips parted, Brennan stared into his deep brown eyes. "Are you going to stay in the FBI?"

"Sure. I love working for the FBI and I love working with you. We make a great team." Booth stood up. "Have you eaten? I can make us an omelet?"

"Thank you. That does sound good." She moved off the mattress, stood next to her boyfriend and rubbed her hand up and down his arm. "We do make a great team Booth."

"Yeah." Booth took her hand and led her into the kitchen. "Want some jalapenos in that omelet?"

Thinking it over, Brennan shook her head. "No thank you. It's too late for spicy food, but I would like some kisses with that omelet."

Booth stopped, turned and stepped closer to his partner. "Well, I think I can manage that." He kissed her and realized that he was feeling a lot better. "Thanks Bones." Kissing her again, he thanked God he had such a great woman in his life. Someone that tried to back him up when he needed it. Someone that cared about him.

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	20. Chapter 20

(A Man on Death Row)

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Angry with her boyfriend, Brennan paced his office in front of his desk. "I don't see why I'm being denied a gun permit. I wasn't convicted of any crime. Ken Thompson was trying to destroy evidence and he was going to do it with fire. I stopped it from happening."

"Yeah, by shooting him. You were charged with a felony." Booth hated denying Brennan a gun permit, but his Boss had made his preferences known. Either Booth denied her the application or he would. He had hoped doing it would make it easier for Brennan, but that had been a false hope. "You weren't convicted because the guy was going to light you on fire, but you shot an unarmed man and the FBI doesn't like that kind of behavior. We're supposed to protect society from people who shoot people."

Her body stiff, Brennan stopped and faced her partner. "I only shot him in the leg. I didn't kill him."

Frustrated, Booth tried to be patient. "Bones, I was ordered not to give you a gun permit. It's out of my hands. You can appeal the decision, but Cullen was the one who told me to deny the permit."

Before she could speak, they were interrupted by a knock on the door frame of Booth's office. Surprised, Booth turned his attention towards his unwanted guest. "Who let you in the building?"

Amused, Amy Morton walked into his office and smiled. "I'm cute. The guards didn't see any harm in me coming to see you."

Not certain who Amy was, Brennan glanced at the young woman then back at Booth. "I'm going back to the Lab. Our conversation is not finished."

"Yeah, I didn't think it was." Booth watched his girlfriend leave his office then turned his attention back to Amy. "I'm going to have a talk with security. When I give an order I expect it to be obeyed."

Amy shrugged her shoulders. "I need to talk to you about Howard Epps."

oooooooooooooooooooo

"While you were on that dig in Europe, I had a murder case come up. I investigated it and I determined that a man named Howard Epps was the murderer of the victim, April White. Epps is about to die for what he did and his lawyer Amy Morton has doubts that I did my job right."

Facing Booth, the hallway behind him, Brennan noticed that most of the Lab people were leaving for the day. "Do you have doubts?"

"There were a few questions that didn't get answered during my investigation, but I think Howard Epps did it." Booth leaned against the door frame of Brennan's office and wondered what he was doing. "On the other hand, a man is about to be killed by the state . . . I think we should make sure he really is guilty before he dies, don't you?"

Leaning back against her chair, Brennan stared at Booth for a few moments. "If you wish my help looking into the case then I will help you. I don't care if Amy Morton has doubts. It is what you believe that is important. How long do we have before Epps is put to death?"

Relieved that Brennan was willing to help him even though he had denied her a gun permit earlier, Booth stepped further into her office. "He's going to be executed tomorrow morning."

"Well, then I suppose we need to begin our investigation now." Brennan stood up. She knew that she could get her team to work the case if she asked them. She would help her mate and then she would revisit her gun permit issue.

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Much to the horror of everyone that had reworked the April White case, Epps had been proven to be even more villainous than expected. They had found two more bodies that were attributable to Howard Epps. Not only had he killed April White, he had also killed two other young ladies and now his execution was on hold while the prosecutor decided whether or not to try Epps for those murders. Booth was all for letting Epps die, but Brennan wanted justice for the young victims and Booth presented the facts to Caroline Julian. She heard him out and told him she would present the facts to the Attorney General.

"My gut was right. I should have never listened to Amy Morton." Booth paced the living room, unable to sit down. "Epps should be dead right now. We're just prolonging April's closure."

She watched him walk back and forth across the living room and she knew that her boyfriend was upset. "The two young women we found in the swamp deserve justice, Booth. Their families deserve closure just as much as April White's family does."

Running his hand through his hair, Booth stopped and faced Brennan. "I should have never listened to Amy Morton. I let her make me doubt my investigative skills. She made me doubt solid police work. I will never let that happen again. Epps was guilty and I knew it."

"Yes you did." Brennan wasn't sure what else there was to say, "Amy's reaction when she found out that she had been used by Epps . . . I think she will give up these kind of cases. She was used badly by Epps. The man has nothing but contempt for those around him. He has a high IQ and he thinks that makes him superior to everyone around him. It does not. His intelligence has been used in perverted ways. He serves no one but himself and in the end he will die for his arrogance, his malevolence."

Her words were having an effect on him. Moving over to the couch he sat down next to his partner. "I just don't like being used . . . but yeah, he's going to die. Not today, not tomorrow, but he's going to die and I plan to be there to see it."

"He won Booth, but it is a pyrrhic victory." Brennan sighed. "He didn't really win anything."

Booth clenched his hands. "He gets to live a year or two more. It might be pyrrhic, but it doesn't change the fact that he got what he wanted and we gave it to him . . . I should never had got you involved in this mess. I should have had Amy escorted out of the Hoover . . . I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Brennan slipped her arm around his arm and leaned against him. "We're partners. You wanted my help and I gave it to you freely. That is what partners do . . . you were afraid that there might be a remote possibility that an innocent man was about to die and you couldn't let that happen. That is why I love you, Booth. You would never allow an innocent man to die if you could prevent that. I trust you and that is why I chose to help you and you trust me. That is why you asked me to help you. We're partners . . . Yes, this particular investigation didn't turn out like we had expected, but because of you, two victims will eventually get justice."

He felt better. Brennan was right. "You're right. Those two young victims we found will have the last laugh on Howard Epps. He really didn't win shit. He's still living on death row . . . Thank you for helping me. I knew that I could count on you. I knew that if I got you involved, you could help me answer the questions that had been left unanswered during my investigation. Epps may think he's smart, but you and I know who the real genius is."

"Yes, my IQ is actually higher than Epps' is. Zach's IQ is greater than mine and Epps. Zach and I use our intelligence for the good of society. Epps wishes to tear down the rules of society. He will lose in the end . . . in fact he's lost already."

Amused, Booth chuckled. "Yep."

"About my gun permit, Booth." Brennan still felt that the FBI was being unfair to her.

"Bones . . . look I'll file an appeal for you, but don't get your hopes up. My bosses really don't want you to have a gun." He knew that his girlfriend was not going to let this one go very easily, but he answered to a higher authority. "I know you hate that, but we all answer to someone."

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	21. Chapter 21

(The Girl in the Fridge)

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Michael Stires had assumed that Dr. Temperance Brennan hadn't changed over the years and was the same woman he had known in her University days. After she had joined his classes, he had suspected she had Asperger's Syndrome though she had not been officially diagnosed since it wasn't listed in her personal records.

Her IQ had impressed him from the beginning. He had known her to be socially awkward, lonely with few friends, but a damn fine intern. She had been a brilliant ray of light in his dull academic career. He had known few students that had worked as hard as she had and who could absorb knowledge like a sponge. Comfortable with their past, he had entered the Jeffersonian Lab with confidence that he would be greeted as a longtime friend and lover.

"Why are you here?" Brennan had been surprised to see her old mentor, although describing Michael as old was rather ludicrous.

"George Washington University wants to talk to me about heading their anthropology department. While I was here, I thought I'd drop by and see how you've been doing." Truthfully, she had been an excellent lover during her years at Northwestern University and he had hopes that she would like to renew that relationship. "I heard you were the head anthropologist at the Jeffersonian, very impressive."

Glad to see an old friend, Brennan met him at the bottom of the stairs. "I think they'll be lucky to get you."

Angela had noticed the meeting at the base of the platform and being the curious person that she was, she moved closer to hear the conversation.

"I assume they asked you first." Stires was realistic enough to know that he probably wasn't the university's first choice."

"I already have a job." She had been flattered to be offered the position, but she wasn't willing to give up her position at the Lab. "I . . ."

At that moment, Booth had entered the Lab with two FBI techs following behind him. One of them was wheeling a dented, slightly rusted refrigerator and the other tech kept close-by incase the other Tech lost control of the fridge. "Hey Bones, I got a present for you." Pointing at the base of the platform, he had the techs park the dolly with the fridge and step away. "Straight out of an illegal dump in Fairfax. Our forensic people confirmed it was human matter seeping through the seal, so rather than open it and risk being trashed by you for contaminating the evidence, I decided to bring the whole thing to you." He was certain that he'd made the right decision since Brennan hated remains to be compromised and blasted anyone that did it, including him.

After she opened the fridge, Brennan examined the remains and knew that Booth needed her. "Zach can clean the bones and then I'll do an examination." Turning towards Booth she pointed at Michael. "Booth this is Michael Stires. He was my professor at Northwestern University."

"I'd like to think I was more than that. Much more." Michael smiled at Booth and held out his hand. "I assume you're an FBI Agent?"

Not sure he liked the professor, Booth grasped the man's hand and squeezed it rather hard. "Yeah, I'm also Dr. Brennan's boyfriend." If Stires thought Brennan was available, then now was the time to put that to rest.

Amused, Angela placed he hand over her mouth to cover her smile. As soon as she'd seen Booth arrive she knew that Stires was going to be the object of Booth's ire.

 _Damn it._ Michael was not happy to hear that, not at all. "Congratulations." After releasing Booth's hand, he turned towards Brennan and gave her his best smile. "So, I suppose asking you out on a date is out?"

"That is correct." Brennan turned her attention back towards the remains. "It was nice meeting you again Michael. I hope you succeed with George Washington University."

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Michael Stires turned out to be the douche that Booth though he was. Sitting on the witness stand trying to make Brennan look cold and unfeeling was a little too much for Booth. He knew that she was a warm caring person and that when she was on the stand she was professional and tried not to let emotions rule the day. Unfortunately, the jury was buying what Stires was selling and Booth felt that he had to stop it or the Costellos would win their case and get away with murder. Knowing that he was going to make Brennan very angry, Booth told the prosecutor, Andrew Levitt about Brennan losing her parents when she was fifteen and that that loss affected her to that very day. He was hoping that Levitt would use that information to show just how human and caring Brennan actually was.

Levitt knew that the jury needed to see that Brennan wasn't cold and obnoxious, but that she used techno speech to distance herself from the victims during her testimony. Brennan's insight had been devastating to the defendants:

"I can look at their bones and tell you how they walked, where they hurt. Maggie Shilling is real to me. The pain she suffered is real to me. The pain she suffered is real. Her hip was being eaten away by infection from lying on her side. Sure, like Dr. Stires said the disease could contribute to that if you take it out of context, but you can't break Maggie Shilling down into little pieces. She was a whole person who fought to free herself."

The rest of her statement had been just as damaging and Booth could see the looks of horror and illness on the faces of the jurors. He knew that Michael Stires had lost and the Costellos had been the biggest losers of all. They were found guilty of kidnapping and murder and would not walk away from what they had done.

Furious when the trial was over, Brennan took a cab to the Lab and chose to work on one of the lost ones in Bones storage. Booth found her there and knew that she was angry with him. Before he could speak, she turned and leaned on the table with her gloved hands. "You had no right to do that. My past is private . . . my parents disappearing when I was fifteen, that was private."

"I know and I'm sorry, Bones, but Stires had painted you as cold and unfeeling. He even questioned why you were a forensic anthropologist. The jury doesn't know you like I do. All they saw was this handsome expert on the stand telling them that you were wrong and that you didn't care about the victim at all." He moved a few steps into the room and stopped. "Stires sat there and told those jurors that the case was about people not technical jargon. He attacked your testimony and your humanity . . . your humanity, Bones. That guy was your mentor and . . . and your first lover and yet he attacked your humanity. I couldn't let him get away with that. The Costellos were going to walk if I didn't stop that. Don't you see?" Booth could see that she was thinking about what he had said, but he was certain she was still angry. "I'm sorry."

Turning back towards the table, Brennan picked up a bone and stared it. Booth knew that he was being dismissed and he accepted it. "I'll see you at home?" She didn't reply and Booth wasn't certain what that meant, but he had no choice but to leave.

After he was gone, Brennan let herself weep.

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Surprised that he made it home before Brennan did, Booth decided to cook some mushroom risotto and grilled chicken. Since Brennan was experimenting with vegetarianism, he made a salad of mixed greens and hoped she appreciated the effort. After dinner was ready, Booth called his partner only to have his call shunted to voicemail. "This is Booth. Do you have an idea when you will be home? Call me."

After waiting for thirty minutes, he ate dinner and once he was done, he placed the leftovers in the fridge and cleaned up. Certain that Brennan was in an unforgiving mood, he left the apartment and walked down the street to the pub where the owner, Pat Davies greeted him warmly. "Agent Booth, it's good to see you. I hope all is going well."

"Yeah, it is, thanks." Sitting at the bar, he ordered a glass of beer and a slice of pie. "How you been Pat?"

Placing the glass of beer in front of his customer, Pat smiled as he cut a large wedge of apple pie for his friend. "They've been pretty good. I can't complain." Handing the slice of pie to Booth, Pat reached for a fork below the bar and handed it to the Agent. "Enjoy."

"Thanks." Booth knew that the piece of pie was bigger than the slice Pat normally served to his other customers, but he knew that the pub owner did that because they were friends. As he ate his pie, he thought about his problem with Brennan and wondered if she was going to kick him out of the apartment for good. He had known she was going to be angry with him, but he hadn't considered the fact that he might be destroying their relationship at the same time. He had wanted to help her, but she didn't see it that way and he wasn't sure how to fix it.

As the evening progressed, Booth became interested in the rugby game being televised on the big screen in the back of the pub and stayed to watch the entire game. At midnight, a little drunk, but not so drunk he couldn't walk back to the apartment, Booth left the pub and ambled down the sidewalk towards his apartment building. Once he was there, he took the elevator up to his floor and once he was in the hallway and at his door, he unlocked the door and entered the apartment. Brennan's purse on the coffee table told him she was home. As quietly as possible, he moved over to the guest bedroom, entered it and closed the door behind him. Since she had never returned his call, Booth assumed that she didn't want to talk to him.

Removing his shoes, shirt and pants, he fell on the bed, grabbed the blanket near his feet and covered his body. Staring at the ceiling, he thought about how much he loved Brennan and hoped that he was still her boyfriend and partner in the morning. If she threw him out, he knew that it would take him a long time to get over her. He had never met anyone like her and the thought of losing her made him feel sick.

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She had arrived home to find the apartment deserted. Checking the kitchen, Brennan found a note telling her that there was risotto and salad in the fridge. Not really hungry, she took a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, removed the cap and drank some of the cool beverage. Passing through the living room and entering the bedroom, she noticed that Booth's jacket was missing from the chair where he normally draped it when he was home. She wasn't sure how long Booth meant to be gone, but she had hoped to talk to him when she got home. She'd had time to think about what he had done earlier that day and she felt that they needed to come up with some rules if they wanted to remain partners.

After taking a bath, she retired to her bed and lay in the dark room waiting for her lover to come home. The quietness of the apartment soon lulled her to sleep and she was unaware when Booth came home.

She wasn't sure what woke her, but when she did it was three in the morning and the bed beside her was still empty. Grabbing her phone from the nightstand, she checked it for messages and found the only message from her partner had been the one she received earlier that evening. Worried, she placed the phone back in its recharger, slipped out of bed and walked over to the bedroom door. Once in the living room, she found it dark and unoccupied. Concerned she walked over to the guest bedroom and found her lover sleeping there.

Relieved that he was home, she entered the room, moved onto the bed and felt her body relax. She hadn't realized just how tense she was until that moment.

"I'm sorry, Bones."

Moving onto her side, Brennan stared at her boyfriend and finally placed her hand on his side. "We need to initiate some rules, Booth. You may not talk about my past to anyone unless I give you permission and I won't talk about your past unless you give me permission. What you did was wrong. I don't care if Michael was portraying me as unfeeling and cold to the jury. I was there to do my job and I did it. It may not have been to your complete satisfaction, but I have testified before and I know what I am doing . . . On the other hand, I probably would have done the same thing if I had been in your place. That is why we must have rules. Do you understand?"

Moving onto his side, Booth placed his hand on her hip. "Yeah . . . I didn't mean to hurt you Bones. I love you."

"I know you do and that is why I forgive you." Brennan lay her arm along his arm, gripping his upper arm. "I love you, Booth . . . Don't do that again."

"I won't." He moved closer and kissed her. "I don't like Michael Stires. He's an asshole. I want you to know that."

Amused, Brennan returned his kiss. "I have no plans to associate with Michael if he moves to the District. He treated me callously in court as if betraying me was just part of a game, part of his job as a consultant. Since I do not love him, I will not forgive him."

"Good."

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	22. Chapter 22

(The Man in the Fallout Shelter)

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I really don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

He thought he'd be able to drop the body off at the Lab and leave, but there was a Christmas party being given by the Jeffersonian upstairs and Angela was having trouble getting any of the Lab people to go with her.

Desperate to get Angela to stop harassing her, Brennan asked Booth for a favor. "Please go with Angela to the Christmas party. I'll look over the body that you brought in while you're gone and have a preliminary report for you when you get back."

"But I still have some Christmas shopping to do." Booth was not interested in entertaining Angela. If he was going to go to a party it, would be with Brennan not her best friend. "Get Hodgins go with her."

"He needs to look over the clothes and the particulates that were collected at the crime scene." Brennan gave Booth a pleading look. "Just go with her for a little while. She will have some fun, you can eat some confections and then go shopping."

Eager to get to the party, Angela grabbed his arm. "Maybe we can find some mistletoe."

"No . . . no mistletoe." Booth glanced at Brennan to see if she was listening. "I'll take you to the party, but no kissing under mistletoe."

Brennan looked up and frowned at her friend. "Booth is merely your escort, Angela. He isn't your date." The idea of someone else kissing Booth was not something she wanted to see or hear about. If there was any festive kissing to be done it would be with her not Angela.

"I'm just kidding, Bren." Angela rolled her eyes. "You two take the fun out of things you know that. You're an old married couple. Come on Booth."

She pulled Booth's arm while Booth pointed at the ceiling. "We'll be back in a few minutes then I'm going shopping."

Once they were gone, Zach moved closer to the examination table and helped Brennan transfer the body from the cart to the steel table. "I could have gone with Angela."

"No, you couldn't." Hodgins started to help Brennan remove the clothes from the deceased. "Angela wants to dance and you can't dance." The entomologist glanced at Brennan. "She was kidding about the mistletoe. She knows that Booth is taken."

Unbuttoning the jacket, Brennan studied the make and cut of the clothes. "You need to determine how old these clothes are. Zach once I've examined the body, you can clean the bones."

"Aren't we going to the party at all, Dr. B?" Hodgins was hoping to spike the punch like the previous year and watch his handy work take effect. It had been hilarious the previous year when Dr. Klimkew had a little too much spiked punch and had kissed Dr. Donna Ramsey, especially since her husband had been standing right next to her. People were so funny.

"You got into trouble for spiking the punch last year." Brennan handed the jacket to Hodgins and proceeded to unbutton the shirt. "If that is your plan, then I must tell you that there is someone guarding the punch bowl this year."

"Damn." Hodgins sighed. "A perfectly good tradition wasted . . . well, I'm going up to get some punch in a few minutes then come back. I want to see if there really is a guard. Ever since Dr. Bancroft became the head of the Jeffersonian there has been a lot of repression going on around here."

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After returning from the party, Booth tried to leave to go shopping, but due to a mishap by Dr. Jack Hodgins and Intern Zachariah Addy, a biohazard alarm went off and the Lab went into automatic lock down. Stuck in the Lab after being exposed to some fatal lung fungus called Valley Fever Booth was forced to take several vaccinations from men wearing Hazmat gear that might prevent him from dying. "This Christmas is officially the worse ever."

The side effects seemed to be worse in Booth than the rest of the team and since he was higher than the proverbial kite, it was decided that Brennan would keep him in her office that evening and she would try to keep an eye on him.

"Bones what are those weird little lights. They kind of look like fireflies only on steroids." Booth stared at the wall behind Brennan then moved his gaze around the room. "They're everywhere . . . they're kind of pretty."

Trying to be patient, Brennan looked up from her computer and focused on her partner. "Those are minute firings of neurons on your optic nerve due to your reaction to the antifungal cocktail you took."

"How am I supposed to get my present for Parker stuck in here?" Booth flopped down on the couch facing Brennan's desk. "He's just a four year old kid. He's not going to understand if he doesn't get a present from me this year."

"Booth you have two presents under the Christmas tree for Parker." Brennan didn't celebrate Christmas, but she did tolerate Booth's beliefs and his exuberant holiday celebrations. "I'm sure two is enough."

He knew that she didn't understand since she hated Christmas. "Those are just the ordinary gifts. I still need to get him a cool toy . . . why am I dizzy and what are those lights on the ceiling?"

Patiently, Brennan once more explained to him that is was from the effects of the medicine he had been given earlier. "I'm sorry you're not allowed to leave the Lab, but it is necessary. You have two days before it's Christmas, so you may still be able to achieve your goal of finding a cool toy if they release us early enough."

"Yeah . . . want to sleep on the couch or in the sleeping bag?" Feeling a little nauseous, Booth swallowed and reached for the glass of water sitting on the coffee table. "I wish those lights would quit moving around so much . . . I'm going to bed." Placing the glass down after sipping some of the water, Booth stood up, waited for the dizziness to subside, moved the coffee table away from the couch and rolled out the sleeping bag. "My soft warm bed at home . . . my soft pillow . . . my own bathroom." He kept muttering until he was laid out in the sleeping bag. "If I die from this shit, I'm coming back to haunt Hodgins." His eyes closed he still saw the lights. "Come on . . . are you kidding me? Go away."

Listening to Booth, Brennan knew that her boyfriend was very unhappy and he wasn't going to be very pleasant company while he was trapped in the Lab. Once he was asleep, she left her office and returned to the platform where she continued to examine the remains of the victim. At least it was something to do while they waited.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning, Booth felt better. He was no longer seeing weird lights and he wasn't nauseous anymore. After he'd had a much needed cup of coffee, he realized that he needed to keep busy so he could keep his mind off of the possibility of dying in the next few days. Solving the murder of their victim seemed as good an idea as any and he started by looking over the things found in their victim's suitcase. Bored, Dr. Goodman joined Booth in the examination room and made notes about the articles once Booth pulled them from the case.

Everyone became interested in the case, so when they weren't decorating the Lab to fulfill Angela's need for some signs that the holiday wasn't passing them by they worked on helping to identify the victim.

They were good at their jobs there was no doubt about that and they soon found out who the victim was and then the motive for his murder. Step by step they followed leads and finally pinpointed who the murderer was. Lionel Little had been murdered by Gil Atkins for his coin collection which was worth a small fortune back in 1958.

That should have been the end of the story, but Booth and Dr. Goodman figured out that Lionel had left someone behind who had loved him and Brennan was determined to find her. Lionel may have been dead for 47 years, but that didn't mean that his girlfriend Ivy Gillespie didn't deserve closure if she was still alive.

Amazed at her tenacity, Booth witnessed his partner make numerous phone calls during the morning trying to track down Ivy Gillespie and miraculously found her in an assisted-living facility near Bethesda. She had left a message with Ivy' granddaughter that she wanted to talk to her if possible. Not sure if she would be contacted, Brennan left her name, where she could be located and smiled with grim satisfaction. "She's living near Bethesda."

So proud of her, Booth moved closer to her on the couch and placed his arm around her. "That's great Bones. You're going to be able to give her closure."

"I hope I'm doing the right thing." Brennan had gone through the long arduous search for Ivy because of her parents. Max and Christine Keenan had disappeared when she was fifteen years old and she never knew what had happened to them. "I think I would be happy if someone came to me and told me what happened to my parents even if it was bad news. It's the not knowing that is the terrible part. Not knowing if they're dead or alive. If they're dead, then how did they die? Where are their bodies? If someone would tell me that I'd be grateful and I hope Ivy understands that is why I wish to tell her about Lionel."

"She will, Bones." Booth heard some noise in the hallway and stood up to find out what was going on. "The guys in the bio suits are back. Maybe we'll find out if we're dying or not."

Standing, Brennan followed Booth into the hallway to see what their fate was going to be.

Ooooooooooooooooo

After a few blood tests were done and they were released from their confinement, everyone hustled to the exit except Brennan and Booth. "Bones, I still have time to see Parker. I'm going to go pick him up and take him to the apartment."

"I'll meet you there, Booth. I have a few things I need to do first." Brennan turned to walk back up onto the platform. "Don't forget to take the present that Zach gave you."

"Ha, are you kidding?" Booth walked over to the platform steps and picked up the toy. "This is probably the coolest toy ever . . . Bones, don't be late. We'll open presents when you get home."

"Alright." Surveying the bones on the table, Brennan carried a plastic box over to the table and began storing the bones in the box. She needed to make sure they were properly stored before she left the Lab. She could have had Zach do it, but his family was still in town and she wanted him to be able to celebrate the holiday with them.

After a while, Brennan was interrupted by a security guard and presented her with two visitors, Ivy Gillespie and her granddaughter Lisa Pearce. Surprised to see them, Brennan descended from the platform and greeted them. Once they were settled in her office, Brennan explained why she wanted to see Ms. Gillespie. The visit was a combination of sadness and joy, but in the end, Brennan knew that she had done the right thing. Ivy Gillespie had deserved closure and the knowledge that her fiancé Lionel Little had not deserted her back in 1958 had been the greatest Christmas present she had ever been given. Lionel had loved her and they would have had a life together in Paris if fate hadn't been so cruel as to take him from her.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Christmas was over. After a joyfully filled afternoon spent with Parker the apartment was now quiet and Booth and Brennan were sipping wine while settled on the couch.

"I wish I could have kept Parker for the evening, but Rebecca wanted to take him to her parent's house this evening." Booth chuckled. "That kid is having a pretty good day. Presents from his mother, you and me and now his grandparents . . . I don't think anyone is going to top my cool robot though. I am the king of Christmas."

Amused, Brennan agreed with him. "He did like playing with the robot more than his other presents." Brennan stared at the fire burning in the fireplace. "Ivy Gillespie and her granddaughter came by the Lab before I left. I told her about Lionel and the valuable penny we found in his pocket. His murderer missed the most valuable part of Lionel's collection. The granddaughter will be able to use that penny to fund her college education. She wants to be a physician."

Placing his wine glass on the coffee table, Booth stretched his legs and stared at the fire as it sizzled and popped. "The penny is important but finding out about Lionel was the best present Ivy could have received. Everyone deserves closure. Now she knows that Lionel wasn't a bad guy and he didn't desert her to raise their daughter alone. That's big, Bones and a life changer even this late in her life."

"I hope someone comes to me someday and tells me what happened to my parents." Every Christmas she tried to be happy for Booth's sake, but every Christmas she only partially succeeded. "I just wish I knew what happened to them."

Booth had tried to investigate their disappearance, but with so few clues and no authorization he had been stymied. "Maybe we'll get some evidence we can use someday and I can get their case assigned to me. It's weird, it's like they fell off the face of the earth . . . I know you miss them, but you have me and Parker and you have the squints. You're not alone Bones, never alone."

"I know." Brennan sighed. "So . . . did you kiss Angela under some mistletoe?"

"What? No way." Booth reached for his girlfriend's hand and squeezed it lightly. "The only one I kiss is you . . . just you Bones."

Pleased with his answer, Brennan sipped more of her wine. "I'm glad to hear that. Merry Christmas, Booth."

"Merry Christmas, Bones."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	23. Chapter 23

(Two Bodies in the Lab)

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

This had to be one of the worst weeks in Booth's life. Not the worst, since being tortured as a prisoner of war will always be first, but a close second for sure. First, he was caught in an explosion in his own apartment when the refrigerator exploded when he opened it. Thankfully, Brennan had been there to smother the flames consuming his shirt and pants while he was unconscious. Her quick thinking put out the fire and her call to 911 had saved him from further injury.

Second, to his horror, Brennan had been kidnapped by Special Agent Jaime Kenton and was almost killed by him. It had been Jaime's plan to kill her in such a way that everyone would think she had been killed by Kevin Hollings, a suspected serial killer. Kenton was desperate to stop her investigation into the death of Jimmy Cugeni. He had been in the pay of the Romanos during the time of Cugeni's death and if Brennan was successful in recreating the bullet that that killed Cugeni, then that bullet would point the finger towards him as the killer.

Because of Hodgins' visit at the hospital, Booth was able to use him as a sounding board. He was suspicious about the Cugeni case and the fact that a map of the neighborhood where one of Hollings' victims had been found was located in Hollings' apartment. Booth knew that couldn't be right since Hollings was meticulous and it dawned on him that there was an inside man at the Lab and that man had to be Jaime Kenton. Knowing that Brennan was with Kenton looking into Hollings' disappearance, he knew that he had to find Brennan as quickly as possible. With Hodgins' help Booth left the hospital and started a man hunt for Brennan and Kenton.

Thankfully, they found Brennan before Kenton had a chance to kill her. Booth had ended up shooting Kenton to keep him from killing Brennan, but he was fine with that. Booth had felt nothing but relief when he released Brennan from her bonds. The snarling dogs in the room added to the surrealness of the situation and neither would ever forget that day.

With Booth safely back at the hospital, Brennan stayed with him to make sure he stayed in bed where he belonged.

"I'm glad you came for me, but you risked your health doing so." Brennan had suffered a mild concussion when Kenton had hit her in the head with the butt of a pistol and felt a headache building behind her eyes.

"I don't care, I'd do it again." Booth was feeling a little woozy from the pain killers he had been given, but he was lucid enough to talk to Brennan. "I can't believe I didn't put it all together sooner. It made sense that there was an inside man in the Romano crime family, but it didn't dawn on me that it could be Jaime . . . I'm sorry, Bones. I should have figured that out sooner."

Annoyed with Booth's habit of shifting the blame to himself when things went wrong, Brennan moved the chair closer to his hospital bed and clutched his hand. "You were seriously injured in the blast in our apartment. Stop berating yourself, Booth. You figured it out in time and that is all that matters . . . I didn't see the connection either and I wasn't injured. Just let it go. I'm fine . . . almost fine and you're going to get well. Jaime is under arrest for trying to murder me and for murdering Jimmie Cugeni. The case is closed."

"Yeah . . . is the damage in the apartment bad?" Booth was worried that they were now homeless.

She had been home briefly to change clothes before coming back to the hospital, but she had looked at the kitchen before she left. "It's bad enough. The kitchen is unusable. I don't know how long it will take the owners to fix it. The appliances are damaged and my kitchen table was destroyed along with chairs, plates and glasses in the cabinets. The ceiling is damaged and there is some fire damage to the counters, wall and floor. There was some damage in the living room near the kitchen too."

"Look Bones, I know we talked about looking for a house next year, but why not look for one now?" Booth hoped that his girlfriend saw the value in his logic. "The apartment is going to be partially unusable and I'm not sure I want Parker there while it's messed up. It might scare him. I mean he's just four years old. How do we explain what happened? While we look for a house, I'm sure Rebecca will understand if I visit with Parker during the days I have him and not keep him for the evenings . . . we can find a house we can both agree on, use my rent money you've been saving to help with the down payment and when we find something I think we can get moved in, in a few days. If we find a big enough place I can take my stuff out of storage and that'd be one less bill I have to cough up every month."

Brennan had thought that they could wait for another year before looking for a house, but the damaged apartment made that strategy less appealing. "It is a seller's market right now, but we really need to move anyway . . . I'll buy a newspaper in the morning and we can start looking at ads. In the meantime, when you're ready to leave the hospital we'll have to move to temporary accommodations. We can't live in an apartment without a kitchen and the smell is actually stomach churning."

Amused, Booth shook his head. "You smell dead bodies when you're working and the smell of burned appliances is stomach turning?"

Biting her upper lip, Brennan debated how to answer his question for a moment. "The smell is connected to seeing you lying on the floor . . . your clothes on fire, you unconscious and bleeding . . . yes, it is stomach churning."

The smile melted away from Booth's face. "I'm sorry, Bones . . . Do you want to move into a motel for a few weeks?"

"That won't be necessary. Dr. Hodgins has a large estate and a lot of spare bedrooms. He's offered to let us stay with him while we decide what to do." Brennan had been amazed at the offer since Dr. Hodgins was a rather terse man and very impatient, but he also had a kind side to him which she saw from time to time. "If we take him up on his offer, we can pack our things, move them into storage and look for a house. Of course, if you wish to stay in a hotel we can. I can afford to pay for an extended stay."

"No, if Hodgins is making the offer then we should take him up on it." Booth wasn't a fan of Jack Hodgins, but he seemed harmless enough even when he was calling him the man and a tool of big brother, besides he did come and visit him in the hospital. "I don't want to stay with him very long though. Maybe we'll get lucky and find something right away."

Since Booth didn't object, Brennan nodded her head. "I will let Hodgins know we are taking him up on his offer tomorrow morning. It is a kind thing he is doing . . . for both of us."

And Booth agreed. "Yeah, we'll have to stay out of his hair as much as possible . . . Look Bones, I'm sorry that I got you into this mess. I knew that dealing with mob cases can be dangerous, but . . ."

She interrupted him. "You didn't get me into a mess, Booth. I am your partner and I am contracted to work for the FBI and the CIA. I was doing my job. There is nothing to apologize for. We will move forward like we do with all of our cases. Granted, I'd rather not be kidnapped again, but I will not let it affect me and how I live my life in anyway. I will continue to work with you and you will continue to work with me. Nothing that happened in the last few days will deter us from doing our jobs . . . We make a great team."

"Yeah, we do." Booth was so proud of Brennan. Not many people would be able to brush off almost being murdered, but he knew that she was a strong person and that made her even more attractive to him. "We also don't have to deal with Hollings anymore. That wack job created enough terror and Jaime killing him was kind of ironic. We actually closed two cases this time . . . maybe I should ask for a raise." He smiled when he noticed Brennan nod her head in agreement. "The worse they can do is say is no."

"You really should ask for a raise." Brennan knew that it was unlikely he would get one, but it never hurt to ask. "I called Rebecca to tell her what happened to you. She is concerned for you wellbeing. She said she will not tell Parker about the explosion. She thinks you should tell him you were in car wreck or fell. She thinks that will be less frightening to the child . . . I let her know about our apartment and she wants you to contact her once you are out of the hospital. She seems to care for you, Booth."

Pulling her hand closer to his chest, Booth shook his head. "Hey, she's the past, okay? You and I are in a relationship and I plan on this relationship to last me for the rest of my life."

Standing, she kissed him on the lips, careful not to touch his broken clavicle. "I do too, of course, you must try not to be the victim of any more exploding appliances."

"Yeah, I'll try." Booth loved her sense of humor. It was odd, but he expected that from a genius.

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	24. Chapter 24

(The Soldier on the Grave)

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

The entire case was rough on Booth. As a U. S. Army Ranger he was proud of his service. He loved his country and he tried to honor those that served, but this case was a disaster from the beginning and as it unwound it forced him to consider his own career and the things he had done.

He was proud of his service, but like most soldiers, he knew that war really was hell. Civilians get killed in the cross fire. Orders are given that shouldn't be. Mistakes are made by soldiers that are still learning their trade and those mistakes affect not only them but those around them.

Friendly fire happens and sooner or later the facts come out about it.

The case turned out to be one of a coverup that finally exploded into daylight. During an incident in Iraq an Iraqis family had been killed when a soldier named Charlie Kent thought he was being attacked. That mistake ended up with four dead Iraqis and his own death when another soldier entered the house after he did and mistook Kent for an armed insurgent and killed him. One error on top of another which resulted in five deaths. Eventually it was covered up.

The incident was brought to light when a former soldier was found dead on Kent's grave and it turned out to be a member of Kent's unit. Devon Marshall had been murdered and the investigation was given to Booth and his team. As the investigation moved forward, the cover up in Iraq unraveled and what happened in Mosul came to light.

He had stood by and watched Devon Marshall given an honorable military burial, his mother and sister trying to be brave, but weeping for their loss. Booth had attended a lot of military funerals in his day and he was always sympathetic towards the families. The deceased soldier was usually a young man or woman who had barely lived their life and now their family would have to move forward without them. It was a hard thing to accept and yet so many families were forced to accept it. All they were left with was a burial plot and memories of their loved one as they tried to make a new life.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

"Bones, I know I don't talk much about my service . . . it's not that I'm trying to keep secrets from you, but . . ." He didn't know what he wanted to say to her. After Marshall's funeral, he had told her about one of his worse memories while he'd been in the service. He had killed a Serbian General because he had been ordered to. Radik had been responsible for ethnic cleansing in his country. The General had ordered the murder of men, women and children who were not Serbian and he had needed to be stopped before he killed more innocent people. Booth had done his duty and stopped Radik, but he had killed the man at his son's birthday party and the sight of Radik's son covered in his father's blood would never leave him.

"You did what you had to do Booth. I understand that." Brennan had tried to comfort her boyfriend at the cemetery, but she knew he was still thinking about his past. "Booth, I've seen the after effects of pogroms. I've stood in massive grave sites and helped disinter the bodies of women, children, men . . . most of them killed because they were the wrong ethnicity or race . . . the wrong religion. This had been going on for thousands of years, Booth. It takes men like you to stop it or at least to stop some of it."

He appreciated her words and he knew that he was not the only one with terrible memories. He was aware that war and conflict affected many people. "I've served in a lot of places. I've served with my brothers in foreign places, trying to stop the craziness, but sometimes I was assigned to the CIA to take out men they thought were too dangerous to live. I've killed soldiers responsible for murdering their own people and citizens of other countries. The men I've killed deserved it, but I still remember their faces . . . I never kill anyone unless I see their face . . . I never shoot unless I'm sure of who I'm killing . . . I can't forget how they looked when they've died . . . I can't forget their names . . . it's part of who I am."

"Who you are is a man who did what his government asked him to do. You killed vicious men, callous men who didn't value life." Brennan stared at her boyfriend and wondered what she could say to help him understand that she knew what he was going through. "After I earned my first degree, I was asked to join a team of anthropologists and archaeologists who were asked by the Chilean government to investigate a suspected grave site. During the coup in Chile in 1973 several thousand citizens disappeared and were presumed to have been killed by the military . . . a suspected mass grave was found and we were asked to identify those that were buried there. I remembered helping uncover the bodies and found that many had their hands tied together, their eyes covered with rags . . . they didn't die willingly and there were signs that some of the victims had been shot and buried alive."

Booth moved closer to Brennan and placed his arms around her. "Hey, Bones . . . hey, you gave families closure. You were able to tell them that their loved ones were dead. That isn't a small thing. It's not knowing that can drive you crazy. At least they can move on with their lives."

Her arms moved around her lover as she leaned against him. "I do what I do because people need answers. Some families wait at home hoping that their family members will come back. They need to know if that is a false hope or not . . . the things you've done, you tried to stop the things that makes my services necessary. If you hadn't killed people like Radik then there would have been more mass grave sites for me to uncover and Booth . . . I'm glad there are fewer mass graves because of you and people like you. Someone has to stop the madness. Someone has to stop the destruction."

He leaned his head against her head and knew that they both needed fewer mass grave sites created around the world. "I'm sorry that you've had to deal with the deaths of so many, but what you do is so important. If it wasn't for you, so many families would never know what happened to their loved one and that would be a sad thing to happen." He kissed the side of her head. "We've had a long day. Let's go to bed. We could use the sleep."

Pulling from his warm embrace, Brennan nodded her head. "It feels strange living in Hodgins' estate. We need to find a house soon. Hodgins isn't asking us to leave, but we can't count on his charity forever. I think we need to adjust some of our expectations when we're looking for a house."

"Yeah, I think so too." They had been living in Hodgins' house for over a month and so far, they hadn't found a house they could agree upon. "We can look further out too. I can put up with an hour commute."

"Agreed." Brennan appreciated Hodgins' hospitality, but she wanted her own place.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The next few weeks were hectic per usual, but they used their days off to look for a house they could both agree upon. Much to Booth and Brennan's surprise, it was Angela who found their house for them. "I was driving out to Shirlington, Virginia when I passed this house for sale." Angela handed a picture of the house to Brennan. "I took some pictures and I printed them. Maybe you'd be interested in this one. It has a nice backyard and front yard. It's four bedrooms, two and a half baths. The garage is detached which is a plus as far as I'm concerned. The street isn't too busy and its about 30 minutes or so from here. That's not too bad of a commute for this area."

"What's the asking price?" Brennan was worried that the house would be too expensive since Booth wanted to help pay for it.

"Oh, it's going for $415,000." Angela knew that might be more than Booth wanted to pay. "I think Booth needs to realize housing in this area is ridiculously expensive and that unless he wants to live in a shack you're going to have to spend money to get a decent house."

Willing to consider it, Brennan looked at the rest or the pictures and smiled. "I'll show these to Booth tonight. This might be what we are looking for. Thanks Angela."

"You're welcome, Honey." Angela sat down on the chair in front of Brennan's desk. "What's it like living in Hodgins' house?"

Brennan thought about it for a few seconds. "We're living in one of the bedrooms in the back of the house. It's a spacious bedroom and has an attached bathroom. We use the back entrance, so it's rare to see Hodgins when we're there . . . we are allowed to use the kitchen, but we mostly eat take out. I'm not comfortable using Hodgins' kitchen. He has a cook working for him as well as four maids and a gardener. When I try to cook anything, Mrs. Wilkins insists that she can do it. Booth told me that Mrs. Wilkins told him she doesn't like people making a mess in her kitchen. We both decided we can eat out or bring take out until we move out. We don't wish to upset the people that work in the household . . . Booth and I are not used to having servants living with us. Booth says they spy on us and frankly I think he's right."

Amused, Angela laughed. "I suppose being super rich like Hodgins makes his life style a little different than ours . . . It's funny, but he never acts like he's better than we are. His family is very wealthy, but he dresses like an average guy . . . I could get used to being waited on. I think it would be nice going home from a hard day at work and not having to cook, or clean or do laundry."

"Let's not talk about laundry." Brennan shook her head. "Booth has odd views about who should be doing his laundry. I think he feels violated if strangers wash his clothes. He has his suits dry cleaned, but apparently that is not the same thing."

Chuckling, Angela shook her head. "Men."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	25. Chapter 25

(The Woman in Limbo)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Sometimes it was a chore getting Brennan to court on time. Between Dr. Goodman, Zach, Angela and Hodgins wanting her attention it seemed to Booth that they didn't realize that she had responsibilities outside the Lab. This was one of those days.

She had promised to meet him in the parking garage, but when she didn't show up, he went looking for her. The first place he looked for her was in Angela's office since it was near the entrance and what he saw shocked him. The image displayed on the Angelatron was unmistakable. "That's Bones' mother."

Enlightened and horrified, Dr. Goodman, Zach, Angela and Hodgins turned to look at the Agent.

"Brennan gave me the specs . . . maybe I made a mistake." Angela was worried for her friend. "Maybe this isn't Brennan's Mom."

"I don't think you made a mistake, Angela." After he called the DA to let her know that Brennan couldn't make it to the trial, he hurried to her office where he found her hunched over an old cracked leather belt and a marble. "Bones . . . Bones, let me take you home."

Slowly moving to face her partner, Brennan nodded her head. "I knew she was dead . . . I knew they had to be dead."

The sight of his girlfriend in so much emotional pain made Booth realize just how hard this was for her. Since no one had ever found Matthew or Christine Brennan there had always been a small bit of hope that they were alive until now. "Let's go home, Bones. I'll call Cullen and tell him I have a family emergency."

Slowly placing the belt and the marble back into the evidence bag, Brennan tried to control her tears, after all her mother had been dead for fifteen years and this wasn't a current event. Still the tears fell and she didn't know how to stop them. Leaving the bag on her desk, she stood up, grabbed her purse from the coat tree and moved over to where Booth was standing. Once she was in the hallway with Booth, she realized that her supervisor and co-workers were standing nearby and watching her. "I'll be back tomorrow."

Murmurs of well wishes followed her down the hallway as she moved towards the exit, Booth's arm around her shoulders. She needed time to mourn, but she would be back to find out what had happened to her mother.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Siting on the couch, a cup of hot tea in her hand, Booth sitting next to her, Brennan took a cautious sip of the hot beverage and placed the cup on her lap. "When my parents disappeared, Russ and I didn't know what to think. The police tracked their car to a rest stop in New Jersey and there was . . . there was blood inside. We all assumed that my parents had been carjacked and murdered. At least that was the theory the police gave to us . . . Now a set of bones in Bones Storage had turned out to belong to my mother. Her remains were found in September of 1998 in a cemetery in Salisbury, Pennsylvania. Her bones have been at the Jeffersonian as long as I have . . . I wonder if my father's remains are in Bones Storage too. It's possible I suppose."

"You and Zach can look tomorrow, but for now, you need to rest. You've had quite a shock." Booth stared at the cup firmly clenched in his girlfriend's hand, steam was still rising from the cup. "I'm sorry that you're going through this, but look at it this way, you've wanted to know what happened to your parents since you were a kid. Don't get me wrong, this is bad, but at least you have an answer . . . Now that we have her remains at the Lab, we can open up an investigation and try to find out what happened. We might be able to find out what happened to your father too."

"Yes, you're right . . . I need to know what happened, Booth." To her surprise, tears were still falling down her cheeks. "I'm not sure why I'm taking this so hard, the discovery of my mother's remains . . . It's not like I hadn't come to the conclusion that she was dead a long time ago. It's just . . . It's just confirmed."

Taking the cup from her hands, Booth leaned over and placed it on the coffee table. Shifting in his seat, he turned to face her and encircled her in his arms. "It's okay to cry, Bones. You have a right to cry."

Feelings of sadness washing over her, Brennan leaned her head against her mate. "I suppose I really am an orphan . . . it's sad to be an orphan."

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Everyone scrupulously worked the case, careful to document everything just in case they found the murderer of Christine Brennan and took that person to trial. Step by step, they moved from one clue to another until they found the person that had murdered Brennan's mother. Vince McVicar was a hit man for a vicious strong-arm gang that had specialized in robbing banks in the Mid-West. Brennan's parents worked with the gang which had always puzzled the FBI. It made no sense to them that two small time grifters would hookup with a vicious white supremacist gang.

All had gone well for the bank robbers until several State Troopers were injured and one was killed during their last bank robbery in Dayton, Ohio on July 4, 1978. When the robbery had went south, Matthew and Christine Brennan aka Max and Ruth Keenan fled to Illinois with their children. Along the way, they had changed their names, their professions and tried to live a quiet life, trying not to draw attention to themselves. They knew that the gang that they had fled from would think of them as loose ends and would want them dead, if they could be located.

Their lives had been comfortable and safe until Vince McVicar had spotted them in December of 1991. Fearing that their entire family would be slaughtered, Matthew and Christine had fled the area trying to draw McVicar away from their children. During their escape, McVicar caught up with them and managed to hurt Christine. Max had almost killed McVicar getting his wife away from the murderer and McVicar had returned to his farm after a short stay in a hospital recovering from a serious head wound. Max had proved to be more dangerous than the pig farmer had assumed him to be and he realized that he didn't care if Max and his wife lived or died. The rest of his gang was dead or in jail and he meant to live a long time. If anyone wanted Max and Ruth then they could find them, but McVicar valued his life more than he valued revenge.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The case was partially closed. They had Vince McVicar locked up and awaiting trial for the murder of Christine Brennan. Max hadn't been located and no one knew if he was alive or not. Booth urged Brennan to be patient. Dead or alive, they would find Max Keenan some day and they would find out the rest of the story.

In the meantime, Russ Brennan had returned into Brennan's life and she now had a brother added into her small family. Booth wasn't sure he trusted Russ since the man was on parole and had been living a life that was the exact opposite of his sister. He remembered that it was Russ who had abandoned Brennan and dumped her into the Foster Care system when she was fifteen years old and for that he would never forgive him. Russ was trying to live a normal life with his girlfriend and with her daughters, but Booth worried that Russ was weak and irresponsible. He feared that Russ would end up wounding Brennan again and if that happened, Brennan's brother would find out what it meant to make an enemy of Seeley Booth.

Russ on the other hand knew that he didn't like the fact that his sister was living with a Fed. He didn't trust Booth and he worried that Brennan was betraying their family by hooking up with a cop. On the other hand, he couldn't tell her what he thought about it because he knew that she wouldn't care what he thought about the matter. No one told his sister what to do and that was a fact. If he wanted to be part of Brennan's life, he would have to accept her boyfriend or at least pretend to.

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The message on the answering machine had been quite a shock.

 _Temperance, you have to stop looking. You have to stop looking for me right now. This is bigger and worse that you know. Please Sweetheart, stop now._

"That's my father." Brennan stared at the answering machine in shock. "He's not dead."

Moving over to where Brennan was standing, Booth grasped her hand and gently pulled her over to the couch. "Sit down, Bones." After Brennan was settled on the couch, Booth turned to look at her brother. "Did you know he's alive?"

"Me, how would I know he was alive?" Russ was just as stunned as his sister. "I haven't seen my father for years." The fact that both Booth and his sister were looking at him in disbelief didn't make the situation any easier. "Dad and Mom disappeared fifteen years ago. They left me behind with Tempe and until you found Mom I assumed they were dead and buried in some forest or something like that. I didn't know what had happened to them, but when they didn't come back I figured they were dead."

Suspicious, Booth shook his head. "If Max Keenan is alive, I'm going to find him and if you knew he was alive I'm going to find out."

Brennan reached up and placed her hand on her boyfriend's arm. "Booth . . . just stop. I agree that we need to find Dad, but we have no evidence that Russ knew he was alive. Russ was abandoned by our parents like I was."

Careful to not escalate the situation, Booth swallowed his distrust and nodded his head. "Fine, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt . . . for now."

"Gee, thanks." Russ sighed. "Look, if Dad is alive maybe we need to listen to him. He sounded like he was afraid. Maybe we're opening a can of worms that should stay closed."

Puzzled, Brennan shook her head. "Who is opening a can of worms and what does that have to do with our situation?"

Unable to hide his smile, Booth sat down next to his partner and patted her knee. "It's a saying Bones. He means it would be like we were opening Pandora's box. Once the evil is out of the box, we won't be able to put it back."

"Oh, a parable. That I understand." Brennan stood up and walked over to the little fridge, sitting in the corner of the room "We have no idea why Max sent us that message. He might be trying to discourage us from searching for him. If there really is danger we will deal with it when it appears." Carrying three bottles of beer, she handed Booth and Russ a bottle of the brew. "I think we could all use a beer . . . tomorrow, Booth and I will try to track down Dad. Of course, we don't have any clues to use in our search, but we will try."

"I can start with the phone call. I'll try to trace it. If he was smart he used a burner phone, but maybe he made a mistake. We'll see." Booth opened the beer and took a gulp. "In the meantime, you can stay the night if you want to, Russ. Like we told you, this place belongs to a co-worker at the Lab, but he won't mind if you stay in the bedroom next door. Bones and I are in the process of buying a house. The owner of the house is considering our offer."

Surprised and slightly annoyed, Russ swallowed some beer and glared at his sister. "You're serious? You two are going to buy a house together?" His week just kept getting worse.

"Something wrong with me and Bones buying a house?" Booth didn't like Russ' attitude. After all he was a man with an honorable profession and Russ was an ex-convict.

Shrugging his shoulders, Russ shook his head. "I guess not . . . it's just hard to accept that my sister is involved with a cop."

"An FBI Agent." Brennan corrected her brother. "He is the head of his department and is one of the best investigators that the FBI has."

"Yeah, that makes it a whole lot better." Russ drank more of his beer and realized that nothing he said would matter to his sister. "I'll go ahead and head back home." He placed the bottle on a nearby table. "Amy is probably wondering what's taking me so long."

Brennan accepted her brother's decision and nodded her head. "I may come and visit you."

"Good." Russ removed his car keys from his pants pocket. "I'd like that." Before he left the room, he paused in front of the door. "Tempe, please think about what Dad said. Maybe we should just leave him alone."

"I can't Russ." Brennan couldn't understand why her brother was against searching for their father. "I want to know what happened to Mom. I want to know if Vince McVicar really killed her. I want to know why our parents left us behind. I don't understand why you don't want answers."

"Because I might not like the answers, Tempe."

Once he was gone, Booth leaned back against the couch and drank some of his beer. "I don't think he likes me."

Amused, Brennan sat down next to her lover. "But I do. I think the fact that he is a convicted felon has made him prejudiced against you . . . My brother is a car thief and my parents were bank robbers . . . this is not what I expected."

"Well, it should make family reunions interesting."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	26. Chapter 26

(After 'The Woman in Limbo')

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The owners of the house in Shirlington, Virginia had taken Brennan's counter offer of $400,000 and soon Booth and Brennan were home owners. Brennan made the initial purchase and used Booth's rent money to help make the purchase. Booth had been uncomfortable allowing Brennan to buy the house, but he realized that it was the smartest way to pay for it. There was no mortgage since Brennan had paid the entire price, so there was no debt hanging over them. It was Booth's intention to pay the utilities, property insurance, property tax and the upkeep for the property that way the burden of taking care of the place fell on him. He appreciated Brennan's generosity by placing his name on the deed as well as hers. It also gave him confidence in his relationship with her. If she was co-owner of a house with him then that meant they were in a long term relationship, hopefully the kind that lasted until the day they died.

"I haven't lived in a real house since I was a kid." Booth was resting after setting up the master bedroom. "It's kind of weird."

The kitchen partially unpacked, Brennan retrieved two bottles of water from the fridge and handed one to her partner. "I haven't lived in a house since I left Foster Care. I suppose we'll get used to it . . . it seems like a sturdy house. The inspection went well . . . the roof is new, so we won't have to worry about leaks at least for a while."

Taking the bottle of water from Brennan, Booth cracked the cap, opened the bottle and drank some of the cool water. "We have the master bedroom set up, our bathroom and most of the kitchen too. Not bad I'd say. I think it was a smart idea to mark the boxes with the rooms they belonged in. The movers did a good job of unloading everything. Once the kitchen is done we can set up Parker's bedroom. The rest can be taken care of when we have time. The living room is usable, so we're in pretty good shape."

"I believe that is an excellent plan." Brennan stared at the fridge. "At least we can cook our own food now. Living in Hodgins' house was convenient, but I felt constrained in my movements and cooking was definitely something that we couldn't do since his cook didn't like anyone in her kitchen."

"Yeah, that was kind of weird." Booth leaned on the kitchen table. "I'm going to get Danny to help me move my car and my junk from my storage unit to the garage next weekend. He said he has the time. I can cancel my storage locker and that's one less bill to be hassled with. There's room for my Mustang and your car. Storage along the back wall is pretty good, lots of shelves and a couple of work counters. It's pretty sweet actually."

Pleased that Booth liked the garage, Brennan smiled. "Now you can continue to upgrade your car . . . I think we should use the fourth bedroom for an office. We can both use it for that purpose."

Booth had no need of an office at home, but if his girlfriend wanted one then that was what they would do with the room. "Did you know that there's a loft room built in the garage? I found the door earlier today. It can be used for an office if you want isolation while you're working on your books or I can use it for a sports room. It's big enough to put some chairs in and a television, a small couch . . . maybe a mini fridge. Whatever works for you will be fine."

"Well, since you have a tendency to be rather loud when watching sporting events, perhaps you should use the room for entertainment." Brennan was used to Booth's shouting during games, but sometimes she craved peace and quiet when she wasn't working and setting up the TV in the garage would be an excellent way to get that peace. "You can decorate it with your sports paraphernalia."

"Good idea." Booth sighed. "Wow, we're property owners, Bones . . . I need to buy a lawn mower . . . and a weed whacker, yard stuff . . . I might need to buy a shed for that stuff. I don't want to use the garage for that . . . yeah, Danny and I'll look for one. He can help me set it up along the back fence . . . I'm glad Angela found this place. It's not too far from work and that is what I'd been worried about. Driving in the District is pretty bad, so being closer to work is great. I was worried that we might end up in Timbuktu."

"Timbuktu is in Mali. I'm pretty sure that commute would have been draining." Brennan laughed.

Amused, Booth laughed with her. "Pretty good joke, Bones. You're getting good at those." He loved her corny simple sense of humor. There was nothing pretentious when it came to his Bones. "Hey, want me to call for some takeout? I'm too tired to cook and I think you need the break too."

"Alright, but I want to start cooking soon. I'm tired of eating takeout food." Brennan savored the idea of controlling what was in their meals. "We can fill our refrigerator with healthy food and healthy snacks too."

"Whoa there." Booth shook his head. "I don't mind eating healthy stuff, but I need my snacks too. I can't watch a game eating carrot sticks."

She had known he would protest. He was so predictable. "Of course not. I know you require salty snacks filled with copious amounts of saturated fats, but we can eat healthier food when it isn't game day."

 _Ha, every day is game day!_

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The funeral for Brennan's mother had been delayed until Christine Brennan's body could be released from the Lab. Once she had permission to bury her mother's remains, Brennan had found a cemetery close by in Fairfax, Virginia and made arrangements to have a graveside service done there. The cemetery was a thirty minute drive from her home and Brennan was pleased that the cemetery was carefully maintained and that the headstones were kept clean and unmarred.

On the day of the funeral, Brennan and Booth drove over to Fairfax and were surprised to find, Dr. Goodman and his wife, Hodgins, Angela and Zach already there ready to attend the service. Caroline Julian also attended with her daughter. Brennan had been mildly shocked to see the DA, but Booth wasn't. Ms. Julian had made sure she knew when the funeral was going to be held and had told Booth she would be there to represent the FBI. She felt Dr. Brennan and Booth deserved that respect.

Much to Brennan's annoyance her brother showed up ten minutes late and after the service had started. Embarrassed he waved at his sister as he approached the grave site, pointed at his watch and shrugged his shoulders. He had been delayed by a car accident on the way and never could make up the time. As an ex-con the last thing he wanted to do was to get a speeding ticket and probably be hassled for breaking the law, not on the day of his mother's funeral.

The ceremony was a simple one. Brennan's family had never been religious, but she believed that a funeral was a way to say a final goodbye to her mother. During the service, Booth stood next to Brennan's elbow and tried to show her as much support as he could. He had been to many funerals in his lifetime, but only two of them were for relatives. His grandmother Alice had died when he was still living in his parent's house and his grandmother Marie had died a year after he had moved into Hank and Marie's house. His Aunt Ruth had died of cancer while he was stationed overseas and he had been unable to get back in time to attend her funeral. Staring at the new headstone that was being used to mark Christine's grave, Booth knew that Brennan had chosen a beautiful stone, but she had kept the lettering simple.

During the funeral, the Agent tried to keep track of anyone that appeared nearby. He had hoped that Max Keenan would show up at the funeral and that he could arrest the conman, but there had been few visitors in the area and none appeared to be old enough to be Brennan's father. Disappointed, he realized it wasn't going to be easy to track down Max Keenan. The man had been on the run for a long time and he wasn't going to cooperate with any law enforcement agency.

The ceremony over, Angela carried a bouquet of roses over to the coffin and placed them on top. Stepping closer to Brennan, she leaned over and kissed her friend on the cheek. "I'm sorry for your loss, Honey. I really am."

Returning a kiss to her friend's cheek, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, I know . . . At least I know where she is . . . I would have preferred to find her alive, but now I know what happened to her."

Dr. Goodman and his wife moved over to where Brennan and Booth were standing and shook her and Booth's hand. "I'm sorry that Christine Brennan lay so long in Bones Storage, but I am glad that you were able to give her a final resting place." Mrs. Goodman placed a bouquet of red roses on the coffin and smiled at Brennan. "It was a lovely service Temperance."

Slowly everyone left the grave site leaving Brennan, Booth and Russ behind.

"Tempe, I'm sorry I was late, but I left the house early this morning and I still got caught up in an accident." Russ stared at the cherry coffin, reached out and ran his hand along the side of the silky wood. "It's beautiful, Tempe. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Brennan took a handkerchief from her jacket pocket and dabbed at the bottom of her eyes. "I don't know why I'm so sad. She's been dead for a long time."

Placing his arm around Brennan's shoulders, Booth gave her a little hug. "It's okay to be sad, Bones. She was your Mom. It doesn't matter how long she's been dead. We didn't find out about it until a few weeks ago . . . There's no time limit for something like this . . . Russ, do you want to come back with us? We're in our house now and the guest bedroom is set up if you want to stay overnight."

"Thanks." Russ had hoped that Booth or his sister would make the offer. He was tired and feeling very sad at the moment. "I appreciate it."

With one final glance at the cherry coffin, Brennan moved away from the grave site with Booth following behind. His gaze roaming the cemetery, he hoped to see someone that might be Max Keenan, but he didn't notice anyone watching them in the distance. _The bastard could have at least come to his wife's funeral. We printed the obituary last week and it said where and when the funeral was going to be._

Still standing next to the coffin, Russ bowed his head and felt tears begin to fall. "Bye, Mom. I love you. I miss you."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	27. Chapter 27

(After 'The Woman in Limbo')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

"Boy, I'm not sure that this was the best thing that could have happened, but at least you have a proper grave this time and our kids know that you're gone." Max adjusted his baseball cap and rubbed his finger against his mustache. His disguise wasn't elaborate, but for the moment it would do. "I called Tempe and asked her to stop looking for me, but you and I know that she's going to do what she wants to do. She's always been head-strong."

The sound of a lawn mower running in the distance was the only sound Max could hear besides a few birds screeching at him from a nearby tree. He had waited two months to come to the cemetery, but he had needed to make sure that no one was monitoring the gravesite. He figured he wasn't important enough for the FBI to keep someone tied up in surveillance for too long. "Vince McVicar is in jail . . . I'm working on that situation. I tried to kill him when he hurt you, but he just got away with a sore head . . . I don't want his case going to trial. His lawyer will try to put us on trial and it could affect Tempe's career . . . Our daughter did good, Christine. She's the best forensic anthropologist in the country and she's a best selling author. She's written two mystery novels and they're not too bad. A little too violent for my taste, but still, really good stories . . . Russ is on parole. I wasn't happy when I found that out. He got caught working for a chop shop . . . stealing cars is pretty low on the criminal scale, but he did time for it and . . . oh, hey, I found out he's living with a woman and her two daughters. I talked to a few people and they told me Amy is very nice and she's a great influence on Russ. I hope he straightens himself out. I don't think our boy was cut out for jail and the life of a criminal."

The mower moved closer and it was getting noisier. "So anyway, I miss you, Babe. I really do. It's been thirteen years since I lost you, but there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about you . . . I wish we could have avoided working for the gang, but they made us an offer we couldn't refuse . . . yeah, I remember that you loved the 'Godfather' movies . . . anyway, I think we should have run when they threatened us, but I was afraid that they would kill us . . . they killed you anyway. I'm really sorry, Babe. If I could trade places with you I would."

The mower moved away towards the left side of the cemetery and the birds overheard grew bored screaming at Max and left. A quietness seemed to settle over the area. "Tempe is living with an FBI Agent . . . yeah, I was shocked when I found out, but really, who better to watch over our baby girl? She's not alone Christine . . . I miss you, Babe. I love you. I'll always love you." With nothing else to say, Max adjusted his ballcap once more, looked around and saw that he was alone. "This is a nice place." Moving away from the grave site, Max jammed his hands into his pants pockets and walked to the parking lot where his car was parked.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

After planting two cherry trees in the backyard, Booth pointed towards the right side of the yard. "If you want to plant a garden there's room over there. The shade from the oak tree doesn't cover the area until the evening . . . I was thinking of buying some tubs and placing them on the edge of the patio. We can grow some herbs like dill weed and basil. My grandmother always grew herbs in her backyard."

"I think I'll plant some tomatoes and banana peppers, perhaps some cucumbers and spinach . . . turnips. I'll have to study what vegetables grow best in this area." Brennan moped her sweaty face with a clean rag that she had left on the patio. "I . . ." Her phone rang interrupting her. Before she could answer it, Booth's phone also rang.

"Booth . . . where . . . when . . . I'll be there in about an hour . . . yes, I'll let Dr. Brennan know." Ending the call, Booth waited for Brennan to end her call. Once her phone was in her pants pocket, Booth sighed. "Body was found behind the Ukrainian embassy."

Brennan nodded her head and started to walk towards the backyard. "I'll go take a quick shower and change clothes."

"Yeah, I'll use the main bathroom and do the same thing . . . so much for having Saturday off." Booth followed Brennan into the house, making sure the backdoor was locked. "It's a good thing I don't have Parker this weekend . . . When is Dr. Goodman coming back? Did he say how long his sabbatical is?"

Hurrying into their bedroom, Brennan gathered clean underclothes, slacks and a shirt before entering the bathroom. "He said six months . . . As soon as I'm clean and dressed I will call Hodgins and tell him to meet us at the crime scene."

Grabbing clean boxers, a t-shirt and jeans from his dresser Booth moved into the hallway. "Tell Hodgins to be polite when he gets there. The last thing I need is for him to piss off the Ukrainians. The last time we had to deal with an embassy he accused the Canadians of hiding the fact that some alien spaceship went down in Canada and that they and the Russians claimed it was a Russian spaceship . . . Cullen wanted to strangle him when he found out about it . . . Verbally attacking Canadian embassy personnel was stupid and . . ."

"Yes, I know. Hodgins was forced to apologize which just seemed to make him think he was right about the cover up." Brennan entered the bathroom. Working with Hodgins was interesting, but he didn't seem to care about the effect he had on other people including his co-workers. Dr. Goodman had threatened to fire the entomologist, but she had managed to save Hodgins' job. She hoped he'd learned a valuable lesson.

Oooooooooooooooooo

The crime scene was in the back of the embassy. The body had been found in a dumpster when the trash had been picked up that morning. The driver of the truck had noticed an arm fall out of the dumpster as he set the dumpster back down and he had screamed in to his phone when he had called 911. Cursing the police when they showed up, the man had quit his job and tried to walk away from his truck. The patrolman had placed the driver in the back of his patrol car just in case the FBI wanted to question him much to the ire of the driver.

Once they were at the scene, Booth interviewed the driver and once he got the man's name, address and phone number he let the man go. Standing near the dumpster, Booth witnessed Hodgins poke his head out of the back of the garbage truck and drop a bagged body part to Zach standing below. "So, the body is in pieces . . . how many pieces have you retrieved so far?"

Zach carried the bagged tibia over to a sheet spread out on the ground near the dumpster and handed it to Brennan. "So far we have collected six pieces as you can clearly see." Annoyed that the agent hadn't bothered to look at the sheet, the intern walked back over to the truck. "Hodgins says the body parts are individually bagged so he has had to open each bag in the truck and look inside. The bags that contain garbage are on the ground at the back of the truck . . . The body is male if you're interested."

Opening each bag located on the sheet, Brennan took into account which body part the bag contained and jotted down some notes in a notebook located near her knee. "I need the skull, Zach."

"We're looking for it Dr. Brennan." Zach called up to Hodgins. "Have you found the head yet?"

Filthy and hot, Hodgins leaned over the side of the truck and dropped another bagged body part to the intern. "No, I haven't. If you're in a hurry, then you climb up here and help me look for it."

"He hasn't found the skull yet, Dr. Brennan." Zach desperately hoped that he wouldn't be forced to get in the truck filled with garbage. He was a bone man, not a garbage man.

Amused, Booth placed his hand over his mouth and tried not to laugh. Tempers were a little on edge for some reason and he thanked God that he didn't have to crawl around in garbage looking for body bits.

"Hey, I found the skull." Hodgins dropped the bag to Zach and continued searching the garbage bags.

Carrying the bag over to Brennan, Zach handed her the bag. "Here you go, Dr. Brennan."

Glad that the skull had been found, Brennan opened the bag and studied it. "Male . . . approximately 50 to 60 years old . . . his teeth are clean, but are in deplorable condition . . . Caucasian." Placing the skull back into the bag, Brennan stood up and glanced at the garbage truck. "Once Hodgins has found all of the body parts, please return to the Lab. Take pictures of everything in and out of the bags. I need to examine the body parts before you clean them, so contact me when you are ready for me to examine them." Brennan walked over to where Booth was standing. "If you're ready, I'd like to go back to the Lab. I can get some work done, before Zach and Hodgins return."

His interviews over, Booth was a little shocked that the Embassy security had stood by and had not interfered. Normally, embassy personal liked to control the situation, but the head of security had observed the situation and had made no comments. "Give me a minute, I need to talk to Mr. Oliynyk before we leave." Moving over to where the head of security was standing, Booth flipped open his notebook and glanced at it. "The body was found at about 9:30 this morning. The driver of the truck called the police and they arrived at about 9:45. They secured the scene shortly afterward. Detective Jameson says that you were out here when he arrived at 10:08 and that you told him that you have cameras aimed at the parking lot, driveway and the back doors of the embassy. Anyway I can get copies of any film you have for the last seven days?"

"Of course." Petro smiled at the agent. "We only wish to cooperate with the FBI. I will have copies made and sent to the Hoover this afternoon. Do you need anything else?"

Surprised that Oliynyk was so cooperative, Booth closed his notebook and placed it in his jacket pocket. "Thank you. I appreciate the help . . . We'll keep you up to date about the case and if I need to interview anyone at the embassy I'll contact you."

"Good." Petro handed Booth a business card. "My number . . . call me anytime."

Taking the card, Booth placed it in his wallet, nodded at Petro and walked over to where Brennan was waiting for him. "Okay, I'm ready to leave."

"Good." Brennan picked up her kit, carried it to Booth's SUV and placed it in the back of the truck. Once she was in the passenger side of the truck, she waited for Booth to enter the driver's side and start the SUV. "They seem very cooperative."

"Well, either their innocent and they're just trying to help or they're guilty as hell and they're trying to control the story. We'll see." Booth started the engine, drove down the driveway and out onto the street. "Want to pick up lunch before we go back?"

Brennan thought that was an excellent idea. "Yes, we can pick up something from the Diner and eat in the break room at the Lab . . . I don't plan to call in Angela until the bones are cleaned. I think I'll examine the body parts while they are still covered in flesh then have Zach start the cleaning process. I believe I can start examining the bones on Monday. There is no need to work tomorrow."

"Good." Booth stopped at the next red light. "I want to try out my new grill and there's a game on at three tomorrow that I need to see."

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	28. Chapter 28

(After 'The Woman in Limbo')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

After a relaxing Sunday afternoon, Brennan returned to the Lab on Monday and began to examine the bones of the victim found in the dumpster behind the Ukrainian Embassy. After careful examination of the skull, she gave the markers she thought Angela would need to do a facial reconstruction. While Angela was working on that, she and Zach began an examination of the rest of the bones.

"I noticed that the teeth are in very poor shape. Does this suggest anything to you, Zach?"

Pausing his examination of the tibia, Zach pursed his lips for a few seconds. "Either he is from a lower economic status or he is from another country."

"Two good theories." Brennan studied the right clavicle, noticed a healed fracture and made a note of her find in her notebook. Before she could ask her intern another question, Hodgins strode in the room.

"Dr. Brennan, I've examined the contents of the garbage bags that were in the garbage truck with the victim and none of them contain clothing, bloody or otherwise . . . The bags that held the body parts didn't have any fingerprints on them, so whoever did this must have used gloves . . . the bags themselves were generic garbage bags that you can buy in any grocery store or hardware store. I can pinpoint the brand, but I don't think that will help us point to the murderer . . . Now for the good news. When I was going through the garbage bags that actually contained garbage, I found trash that belonged to another embassy. I think it's possible that whoever killed our victim worked at or is connected to the Russian Embassy."

Surprised, Brennan placed the clavicle down and turned to look at Hodgins. "Why would the murderer dump a bag of trash from the Russian Embassy into the waste bin behind the Ukrainian Embassy? That doesn't make any sense. Perhaps the trash was picked up at the Russian Embassy before they moved onto the Ukrainian Embassy."

"Nope, I checked. They aren't on the same trash pickup route and the Ukrainian Embassy was the first pick up for that garbage truck on Saturday . . . Maybe the murderer made a mistake." Hodgins held up some soiled papers. "They cut up the body into twenty-four pieces. I have no idea why twenty-four unless it was to just make sure they'd fit in trash bags. The victim was a big guy . . . anyway, what if they had all of these bags and they carried them out to a car or a truck to transport to the Ukrainian Embassy and they saw the trash bag and they thought it was a dropped bag containing a body part? It would have been stupid for them to not check, but prisons are full of stupid people."

Removing her gloves, Brennan placed a new set of gloves on and took the papers from Hodgins to examine. "It is Cyrillic . . . I can speak Russian, but I can't read it. Ask Angela to translate these pages . . . have you examined the papers for fingerprints?"

"Yes, I have." Hodgins smiled. "The killer may not have handled the trash in the bag, but it does give Booth someplace to look."

"I agree." Brennan handed the pages back to the entomologist, changed her gloves again and picked up the clavicle once more. "Once the pages are translated let me know. I'd like to look at them before we pass them on to Booth."

A smirk on his face, Hodgins smiled at Zach. "King of the Lab."

Annoyed, Zach ignored Hodgins and continued to examine the remains.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

"Agent Booth." Petro Oliynyk stood in Booth's office doorway and waited to be invited in.

Standing, Booth walked around his desk, motioned for Petro to enter and shook his hand. "Mr. Oliynyk, I'm glad you could come." Pointing at the chair in front of his desk, he walked back around the desk and sat down. "I need to talk to you about the victim that was found behind the Ukrainian Embassy."

"Yes, I thought you might, that is why I came." Curious, Petro crossed his legs and rested his hands on this knees. "Have you found out who it was?"

"His name was Franjo Juric. He was a Croatian journalist." Observing the head of the Ukrainian Security, Booth didn't notice a flicker of recognition on the man's face. "He was beat to death, cut up into twenty-four pieces, bagged and dumped in the trash bin in the back of your embassy."

"But we did not do that." Petro was worried. Was the American trying to blame him for the murder? "That is not how we do things. If a reporter annoys us, we ban them from the embassy. We do not kill them. We are a civilized people."

Holding up his hand, Booth shook his head. "I'm not accusing you of anything . . . One of the people that works with me examined the contents of all the garbage bags in the garbage truck and he found something very interesting . . . one of the bags contained letters and paperwork written in Cyrillic."

"Russian?"

"Yeah. The documents were translated by one of my people and it looks like it came from the Russian Embassy." He waited to see how Petro would react.

"Govno . . . sorry. Um, what are those idiots up to now? They kill someone and then they place the body on our property? This is unbelievable . . . well, maybe it isn't." Petro was furious. Whatever the Russians were up to, he would make sure this would not fall on him or his people. "I will cooperate with you anyway I can, Agent Booth. You just have to ask."

Booth was hoping that Petro would see what was going on. "Thank you . . . so you've never met Franjo Juric?"

"Not that I know of . . . It is possible that he has met with someone at the embassy and I don't know about it. I will make inquiries when I go back." Petro stared at the baseball in Booth's desk. "I sent copies of the videos of our parking lot and the back entrance of the Embassy over to your office and then I went over the videos myself." Petro removed a USB drive from his jacket pocket and placed it on the desk. "I isolated when I think the body was dumped in the bin and I have placed it on this drive . . . It shows a dark paneled van with Maryland tags. The two men that dumped the bags in the bin wore . . . um, ski masks, yes and we cannot see their faces, but you can see their wrists and part of their lower arms. They are Caucasian and one had long hair on his neck, it appears to be light in color, perhaps blond . . . the drop occurred at three in the morning. I have talked to my people and no one was monitoring the cameras at that time . . . I am sorry. If they had been doing their jobs the two men would have been caught . . . The back gate was not locked. I am trying to find out why . . . I think someone on my staff was paid to look the other way. I have made changes, so that this does not happen again. This is very embarrassing, but I do not wish to hide anything from you. I know that will just make us look suspicious . . . I wish to catch these men who did this and I want the murderers of Mr. Juric to be caught."

Booth stood up, picked up the USB drive and sat back down. "Thanks. I appreciate your cooperation. Do you know why someone from the Russian Embassy would try to implicate someone at your Embassy in a murder?"

Amused, Petro laughed. "You must be kidding Agent Booth. If they murdered someone they will do what they can not to be caught and if they can cause us trouble then that is the cherry on the . . . um . . . ice cream with sauce and whipped cream?"

"A sundae. It'd be a cherry on top of their sundae." Booth was used to correcting Brennan and thought nothing of doing that for Petro. "I had the same idea . . . the problem is proving that someone killed Juric at the Russian Embassy. I don't have the authority to access the embassy and I'm not likely to get it . . . Don't get me wrong, I'll try and we'll try to prove who killed Juric, but we may not get anywhere."

"I understand, Agent Booth . . . Perhaps I can find a way to visit the Russian Embassy or find someone in the embassy that will talk to me. I am a pretty good investigator." Petro smiled. He had been a criminal investigator at one time in his past and his solve rate had been fantastic. He had a knack when it came to investigating murders and major crimes and eventually he had been offered the job at the embassy because of it. "If I find out anything that will help with your case, I will get back to you."

Pleased that he had found an ally in Petro, Booth leaned forward on his desk. "Good and I'll keep you up-to-date on what I find out." When Petro stood up, so did Booth. "Thanks for coming."

"You're welcome, Agent Booth." Petro walked over to the door. "The Russians have a made a mistake. Perhaps they thought the trash would be picked up and no one would ever see the body parts or if they did the bags would be traced back to my embassy. In that case, I am sure they thought we would panic, but we don't do that. We are cool under fire." Laughing the man left Booth's office.

Once Petro was gone, Booth sat back down. He hadn't expected the cooperation he was getting from Petro, on the other hand, he knew that the Ukrainians hated the Russians and the Russians hated the Ukrainians. He agreed with Petro. The Russians were playing a game they might not win.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

"The van was stolen from a private building contractor in Annapolis. It was recovered in Hampton, Virginia, burned and gutted." Caroline wasn't happy with what she was hearing, but there wasn't anything Booth could do about it. "No fingerprints in or on the van except a few that belonged to the owner, none on the outside of the garbage bags that held the remains or the bag that held the Russian documents. No fingerprints in the bags that held the remains . . . The cameras at the Ukrainian Embassy didn't show the faces of the two men who dumped the bags into the trash bins. Petro Oliynyk tried to pinpoint who left the gate open in the back of the embassy, but there are too many people that could have opened it. Anyone that uses that parking lot has access." Booth checked his notebook and continued. "Petro made an appointment to talk to someone at the Russian Embassy, but they talked to him outside. They wouldn't let him in. He told them that the FBI is investigating the murder of Franjo Juric and that didn't surprise them, but they did react when he mentioned the bag of Russian documents. Petro said they had a cow demanding to know how we had got the documents. Petro refused to give then any more information."

"It looks like he gave them too much information." Caroline wasn't sure she liked Petro Oliynyk helping with the investigation. "The Russian Ambassador tried to get the bag of documents back, but the Secretary of State told him that we couldn't do that. It was found in a trash bin and that meant it didn't belong to the Russians anymore. Of course, there were threats made." Caroline chuckled. "The Secretary reminded him that a foreign national was murdered and that we take that seriously. He offered to send him copies of what was in the bag and that's what we ended up doing."

Booth's phone rang and he answered it. "Booth."

 _Agent Booth. I have found out that two members of the Russian Embassy have left the country. They left right after the Russian Ambassador met with the Secretary of State . . . I think that we now know who killed Juric, but they are now in Russia and beyond American, Ukrainian or Croatian reach . . . Juric will not get justice, at least not right now._

"Thanks for the heads up, Petro. I appreciate it." The call ended, Booth broke the news to Caroline who fumed when she heard the news. "Juric was here doing a story about a Croatian journalist who was murdered in the Crimea three months ago. It looks like the Russians didn't want Juric doing that story and he had been told to stop. He didn't . . . We're not going to be able to go after the ones that ran to Russia. If they did kill Juric, we can't extradite them . . . Damn I hate politics and I hate diplomatic immunity. I understand why we need it, but I hate it."

Furious that there would be no trial to close Juric's case, Caroline snapped her notebook close and leaned back against her chair. "We have no hard proof so we can't point towards someone and say they killed Juric. Everything we have is circumstantial . . . We can make it so that those two are never allowed on American soil again. We can also pass on what we have to Interpol . . . It isn't enough, but it's all we can do for now."

"I hate this. I plan to continue to work on the case when I have time. If I find out who murdered Juric I'll pass it on to Interpol. Maybe he'll get justice someday. I think Petro isn't going to let this go either. He's pretty pissed that the Russians tried to implicate someone at the Ukrainian Embassy."

"Well, if you do find out who did it we'll try to go after them." Caroline stood up. "When I heard that the body had been found at an embassy, I knew that there was a possibility that we were going to be stopped in our investigation . . . That's the price we pay for hosting embassies."

Once she was gone, Booth called his partner. "We have two suspects for Juric's murder, but we can't touch them. They flew back to Russia two days ago."

 _We don't have extradition rights with Russia._

"Yeah . . . Hey I'm going to continue to work the case when I can. Maybe we can come up with hard evidence that will point at the murderer. Right now, we don't have any. Just two guys that ran home. They look guilty as hell, but we can't prove they did anything wrong."

 _Alright . . . I'm sorry that it worked out this way. Mr. Juric deserved justice._

"Yeah."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	29. Chapter 29

(The Titan on the Tracks)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

"It's good to see you Cam, what brings you to town?" Booth pointed at the chair in front of his desk and motioned for his old friend to sit.

Puzzled, Cam sat down and crossed her legs. "You didn't know that I was moving to Washington D.C.? I would have thought that Dr. Brennan would have told you . . . Dr. Goodman told me that you two are living together."

"Why would he tell Bones that you're moving to the District?" This conversation was rather odd and Booth felt like he'd missed part of it.

"Um, okay." Cam stared at her friend for a moment and decided to just tell him the truth. "I'm replacing Dr. Goodman as head of the Medico-Legal Lab. He's returned to academia. He told me that he wants to get back into archaeology . . . From this conversation, I'm assuming Dr. Brennan doesn't know about this."

A feeling of disquiet settling over him, Booth leaned back against his chair. "He didn't tell Bones . . . Dr. Brennan about this. Why didn't he offer this position to her?"

"Dr. Goodman told me that he felt that the Lab needed a coroner to back up Dr. Brennan and he needed someone who had run a large department before. Since I've been running the Coroner's office in New York City I have the experience he was looking for. I don't think it was personal. He just wanted someone with experience taking over."

As good as her explanation was, Booth knew that Brennan was going to be angry that she hadn't been hired as Goodman's replacement and hurt he hadn't told her what was going on. "I can't believe Dr. Goodman did this . . . Good luck dealing with Dr. Brennan and her squints."

"That sounds ominous." Cam felt that she might have been dropped into a real mess.

"Good, it was supposed to be." Booth crossed his arms against his chest. "The people at the Lab, Bones, Hodgins, Zach . . . they're geniuses. They're the top in their field and Dr. Goodman barely had control over any of them. I hope you're good at herding cats because that is what you're in for."

A quick nod of the head, Cam acknowledged what her friend was telling her. "So, you're going to tell Dr. Brennan about the change at the Lab before she comes back from vacation?"

Chuckling, Booth shook his head. "Oh hell no. This is your show, not mine . . . A word of advice though . . . be as honest as you can be with Dr. Brennan and everyone else at the Lab. They hate politicians, so try to keep that in mind too."

"I was the supervisor of the Coroner's office in New York City, Seeley. I'm pretty sure I can handle the Lab." Cam was confident that everyone would fall in line when they needed to.

"Good Luck with that." Booth shook his head. "Thanks for dropping by. I guess I'll see you when we have a case."

Standing, Cam smiled at her friend. "Yes, you will."

Oooooooooooooooo

Back from visiting her brother for three weeks, Brennan was barely home before she and Booth were called out to a train wreck. Since she was usually involved in murder investigations, Brennan felt that her time was being misused. "This is a matter for the National Transportation Safety Board to handle. Why am I being called out for a train derailment?"

Not really sure why, Booth shook his head as he drove closer to the wreck. From a distance they could see a multitude of emergency vehicles in the area and the outline of the derailed train cars. "I got the call the same time you did. We'll just have to wait until we get there to find out." Booth had a sinking feeling that if the FBI had been called in then this was probably a case of terrorism. He prayed no one was killed, but he knew that was probably wishful thinking. "We'll talk to whoever is in charge."

Since there was nothing more to say about the subject, Brennan nodded her head. As they approached, she could see that the derailment involved several cars and the engine. "There has to be injuries."

"Yep." Pulling up behind a State Police patrol car, Booth parked his truck and turned to face Brennan. "Did Dr. Goodman call you in North Carolina?" He hoped that the man had done the right thing and let Brennan know that she had a new boss.

"No, why would he?" Brennan found the question to be an odd one.

Hopping out of his truck, Booth prepared himself for the upcoming storm. While Brennan retrieved her kit from the back of the truck, Booth flashed his badge at the State policeman approaching them. "FBI Special Agent Booth." As Brennan rounded the side of the truck, Booth introduced her. "This is my partner, Dr. Temperance Brennan. We were asked to come to the scene."

A small explosion attracting their attention, all of them turned to see that one of the derailed cars had erupted in flames. "They've been trying to put out that fire since they got here. I guess it contains a volatile of some kind."

"Has the coroner arrived?" Booth started walking toward the center of the derailed cars.

Sargent Davidson pointed towards the right. "She's over there. NTSB says that the train hit a car on the tracks 200 yards from the nearest access road."

"Thanks for the heads up." Booth had a feeling that this was no accident.

As they moved closer to the wreck, Booth spied Cam Saroyan wrapping gauze around a man's arm. The man wasn't in sight, which made the situation dire for someone. _Well this is going to be fun._

Cam noticed Booth and Brennan approaching and handed the detached arm to a firefighter. "We need to find the owner of this arm. Ten minutes." She had been warned that Brennan didn't know about Dr. Goodman's departure, so she was prepared. "Dr. Brennan I need you to check the automobile that caused the derailment. I'm told the driver was burned when the car caught on fire."

"I'm not a coroner and I don't work for you." Brennan still didn't know why she had been called in and she was becoming annoyed.

"You got that half right." A shout from a fireman caught her attention. The man who owned the arm had been found and he was still alive. "It's good to see you again, Seeley." They had been lovers a long time ago, but now that he was in a relationship there was not chance of starting that up again. That didn't mean she couldn't renew her friendship.

"Nice to see you too, Camille." Booth pointed down the tracks and ushered his partner towards the car. "Come on Bones."

As they walked away, Brennan shifted her kit in her hand. "She was flirting with you." And Brennan didn't like that.

"No, she wasn't. I've known Cam for a long time. We're friends and she's your boss." There he had said it. Someone needed to.

Surprised, Brennan stopped. "No, Dr. Goodman is my supervisor."

Disgusted that he had to be the bearer of bad news. Booth encouraged Brennan to walk towards the car. "Dr. Goodman hired Dr. Saroyan to take his place. He's going back to being an archaeologist."

Puzzled, Brennan glanced at Booth. "Why wouldn't he hire me?"

At this point, Booth was resigned that this was going to be a rocky situation. "Cam is a coroner. She's had experience supervising the coroner's office in New York. Dr. Goodman thought she was the logical choice." He was hoping that the logic of the situation would appeal to his partner.

While Brennan examined the badly burned body in the car, Cam approached Booth. "Three dead in first-class. One of them is a Senator."

"So, a murder." Booth moved away from his partner. He knew that their conversation wasn't done and the next few days might be unpleasant for him and for everyone else.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

While they were working the case, Booth was informed that Vince McVicar was dead. He'd been murdered by another convict. As much as he hated to tell her, Booth knew that Brennan needed to know.

"He was the only connection to my father." Brennan had hoped that the trial would give her some answers. "How am I going to find out what happened to my mother, Booth. With McVicar dead . . ."

Moving his hand, Booth clasped Brennan's hand. "Hey, don't give up. We'll go and talk to the guy who murdered McVicar and see why he did it. Maybe he talked to McVicar before he murdered him."

"Alright." Brennan was worried that the death of her mother would be a mystery forever. Did McVicar kill her mother? Did her father kill Christine Brennan? She needed answers.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The next few days just seemed to go from bad to worse. At first the driver of the car had been identified as Warren Lynch, a very wealthy entrepreneur, but later it was determined that the driver had been a junkie. The dental records used to identify the driver had been given to them by Lynch's dentist and they had no reason to question them. Someone had switched out the file on the dentist's computer to make it look like the junkie in the car was Lynch. Booth was determined to find out who had done that.

In the meantime, the FBI had to retract the identity in the news which had caused a great deal of embarrassment in the Justice department. Moving the investigation forward they had tracked down the junkie's movements and Cam was able to determine that he had died of natural causes. Certain that Warren Lynch was involved, they continued the investigation. The NTSB wanted to know who was responsible for the death of Senator Davis and so did the Justice Department.

When they had time, Booth and Brennan had visited the prison and interviewed the man who had murdered McVicar. During the interview, the man had dropped a verbal bombshell on them. He had intimated that Max Keenan had ordered the hit on McVicar and that just added to Brennan's burden.

"Did my father order Downs to kill McVicar? Who is my father, Booth? I don't know what to think about this." Brennan was trembling as they drove back to the District. She couldn't help it. Her world was being ripped apart and she didn't know how to stop it.

He could hear the pain and the fear in her voice and Booth knew that his partner, his lover was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. "Bones listen to me. Downs murdered his family. He said he murdered McVicar because he had taken the last orange juice. I think he's just messing with us. He probably heard McVicar talking about Max and when he found out you were his daughter, he decided to play with you. The man has no compassion, nor morals. Upsetting you would just be another way to cause pain."

"Do you think so?" Brennan had heard her lover's reasoning and she found it possible that Downs wasn't trustworthy. Calmer, she nodded her head. "I don't see how Dad would have contacted him. The warden says that Downs hasn't had any visitors for a long time . . . With McVicar dead, how am I going to find out what happened to my mother?"

His eyes on the road, Booth reached out his right hand and massaged her knee. "Hey, we're still working the case. I'm not going to let it grow cold. Trust me."

"I do, Booth." Brennan grasped his hand. "I do trust you."

"Good." Booth reluctantly withdrew his hand from his lover's hand and exited from the highway onto a city street. "We still have our case to work on. Let's concentrate on that for now."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The case didn't end the way everyone had hoped. Warren Lynch was in a coma in a hospital. He had been brutally beaten and was essentially brain dead, so his part in the case would never be collaborated. His fixer, Rick Turco pleaded guilty to helping Warren Lynch place a dead body in his car, but he claimed that Lynch placed the car on the tracks by himself hoping to make it look like he had committed suicide. It was a plot to short stock that had gone horribly wrong and Turco claimed he knew nothing about it. With Lynch in a coma, there was no way that they could prove Turco was lying.

"I don't know if I'm going to continue to work at the Lab." Brennan was setting the table getting ready to serve dinner while, Booth checked on the stir fry he had cooking on the top of the stove. "I'm not sure I can work for Dr. Saroyan. Dr. Goodman allowed me free reign while I helped you with your investigations, but Dr. Saroyan wants me to clear everything with her before I do anything. I really don't think I can work like that . . . She handled Miss Supac when she tried to get her to prosecute Turco for murder, so she is competent enough to run the Lab . . . I just don't think I can work under the strict restrictions that Dr. Saroyan has initiated."

Worried that he was about to lose his partner, Booth moved the wok from the eye of the stove and walked over to the kitchen table. "Bones look . . . why don't you wait awhile before you make a decision. This is all new to you and Cam is obviously trying to tighten up some of the protocols at the Lab. Once she's been there for a while and she's seen how well you and the squints work together . . . maybe she'll lighten up."

"Are you worried about our partnership?" She hated to question Booth's motives, but she was starting to worry if Booth was on Cam's side instead of hers.

"What? No . . . hey, you and I are together okay? If you quit and decide to do something else then I'll back you all the way, but I really do think you need to give this a chance. If in a few weeks you really can't work for Cam then quit. I'll back you one hundred percent." He wasn't sure what would happen after that, but he wanted Brennan to trust him. She came first. "If I have to get a new forensic anthropologist to work with me then I'll do it. I want to support you Bones."

Startled, Brennan stared at her mate. "A new forensic anthropologist? You won't find anyone better than me, Booth."

"I know, but I do need help to close cold cases and some help with the bizarre shit that happens. If you can't work at the Lab, they'll hire someone else and I'll have to work with them." Booth was trying a little psychology on his lover. Whether it backfired on him remained to be seen.

Irritated, Brennan walked over to the stove, moved the wok back on the hot eye and continued to stir the mix. "I didn't say I was going to quit, Booth. I said I may quit."

"I know." Booth moved over to the fridge and retrieved two bottles of beer. "I'm just trying to plan for eventualities that's all."

Stirring the vegetables in the wok, Brennan knew that she would have to think through all of the ramifications if she quit. She hadn't really thought about her partnership, but she knew she couldn't ignore it.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

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	30. Chapter 30

(The Boy in the Shroud)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

So far Brennan considered her supervisor as competition and Booth wasn't sure how that was going to end. She was competitive by nature and Cam seemed to strengthen that trait even further. Booth wasn't sure if she was trying to prove something or she was just that angry that Dr. Goodman had hired Cam behind her back. Either way, he was trying to give her as much support as he could and still get the job done.

Their latest case involved what looked like the death of a street kid and Brennan thought that both he and Cam were jumping to conclusions about the boy instead of searching for facts. He'd worked undercover during his first year with the FBI and he'd had to deal with street kids. He felt he had a better handle on them than his partner did, but that didn't prevent her from voicing her own opinions. Of course, Dylan Crane had proved to be anything but a street kid. She had been right, but there was a connection with the streets since his girl friend was Kelly Morris, a run away from Foster Care.

This case centered around Foster Children and Booth knew that Brennan was more emotionally invested in the case than usual. Her own experience as a Foster Child colored her responses towards the case and Booth was worried that she wasn't being as impartial as she should be.

"Bones, I know you were a foster kid and it was tough for you, but let's do this case right. We'll investigate Kelly Morris and Dylan Crane and find out what happened." They were going to meet Kelly's foster mother in a few minutes, but Booth was concerned about the direction the investigation was taking. "We need to find Kelly Morris and find out how Dylan's body ended up in a garbage truck. We have a dead boy on our hands and I'm pretty sure he didn't kill himself."

"Dylan wasn't murdered, Booth. He fell to his death." Brennan felt that Booth wasn't taking that into account. The boy was struck from behind, but he fell to his death. "We do need to find out what happened, but I won't automatically convict Kelly Morris upon the word of Dylan's parents. They consider Kelly to be no better than the garbage Dylan was found in."

She was angry and Booth knew it. "I'm not prejudging Kelly, Bones. I want to talk to her and we'll go from there . . . Bones, look . . . Dylan's parents are grieving and they want to blame someone for their son's death. I'm not letting them influence me in anyway. I want to find out how Dylan died and whose responsible. Okay?"

Brennan realized that she was letting her emotions get the better of her and she wasn't sure why. She was a scientist and she worked with facts not emotions. "Okay. We'll find Kelly and talk to her . . . Does everyone think so badly of foster children? . . . Like Dylan's parents? Does everyone think so badly of me?" It hurt to think that people judged her for the life she led while in the Foster Care system. A situation that had forced upon her by her parents when they abandoned her.

"No, Bones, not everyone thinks that way and believe me, when they see you, they see a strong independent woman who has worked hard to get where she is. They don't see the abandoned fifteen year old girl forced into Foster Care." _At least they'd better not if they know what's good for them._

"We need to find Kelly, Booth." Brennan heard his words and felt some assurance that he was trying to be fair.

Standing, Booth moved around his desk and stood next to his partner. Placing his hand on the top of her shoulder, he squeezed it gently. "We're going to work this case, Bones like we do all of our cases. We'll talk to Kelly and we'll find out how Dylan died."

A slight smile on her lips, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, we will."

Ooooooooooooooooo

As they worked their case, Booth could see that it was taking an emotional toll on Brennan. She seemed to determined to prove that Dylan had been killed in a fall without attaching it to how it happened. The boy fell 50 feet to his death, but someone hit him from behind and caused him to fall. They worked through the evidence, talked to witnesses, tracked down Kelly and finally heard the sad story of Dylan's death.

Kelly's foster mother was sick and she couldn't take care of two foster children anymore. Kelly had run away to protect her little brother, Alex. She had hoped that her foster mother would keep Alex since she had been the best foster parent they had ever had. Dylan had helped her and she had squatted in an abandoned warehouse. Her boyfriend loved her and they were making plans to be together. Alex hadn't understood what was going on and the boy had thought Dylan was stealing his sister from him. The child was terrified that he would be alone. He had hit Dylan with a rusty pipe and Dylan had lost consciousness. Dylan fell towards the glass window overlooking the alley below and Kelly had tried to save him, but she wasn't strong enough to keep him from falling to his death. Kelly had cried when she had revealed the tragedy of Dylan's death. She wanted to take the blame for the teenager's death, but Booth couldn't allow that. Kelly was a child herself and the system had failed her and her brother. Booth wouldn't allow that failure to continue.

Brennan had watched as Alex was turned over to the juvenile justice system. She felt sad for the boy and his sister. They were orphans and without family ties their fate was in the hands of the government. Her childhood had been destroyed when her parents had abandoned her and she had been given to the state of Illinois by her brother. Because she had worked so hard in school, she was able to escape the poverty she had been forced to live in. Kelly's case made her realize that she could have easily ended up like Kelly. Her parents had a lot to answer for, but there would be no justice in her case. Her mother was dead and her father was a wanted man, a bank robber, a con man and possibly a murderer.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

During the case, Brennan had butted heads with Cam numerous times. It had got to the point that Cam was considering firing her. She had asked Booth what he would do if Brennan left the Lab and Booth had been blunt. "The squints would flee this institution like the French Army."

Cam already knew that. What she wanted to know is what would Booth do. "And what would you do?"

"I'm with Bones all the way, Cam." Booth was living with the woman that he loved, she was his partner and he would always side with her. "Look, you don't know this, but Bones was a Foster kid . . . this case is important to her and she might not be handling the situation the way you like it, but it is being handled."

Surprised, Cam wondered why no one had told her before now. "I didn't know."

"You do now." Booth left hoping that Cam would realize that firing Brennan would be a huge mistake, but whatever happened, he would back Brennan. There was no other option for him.

And Cam had thought about the situation and realized that firing Brennan wasn't a reasonable solution. The forensic anthropologist was the center of a very talented pool of scientists. If Brennan was fired and the other specialists left then were would be no more Lab. It was also possible that if she fired Brennan the board of directors for the Jeffersonian might fire her for gross incompetence. Dr. Brennan had been with the Jeffersonian for seven years and she was a valuable asset to them. Cam might be stubborn when it came to what she considered the proper roles between boss and employee, but she wasn't stupid.

Much to her surprise, Brennan had tracked her down at the Royal Diner while she was eating dinner. After a rather odd conversation, Cam up with a way to keep her employee and still give her a modicum of control of the Lab. She would allow Brennan to defy her three times a week. It was an odd way to supervise someone, but Brennan was brilliant, the best in her field and she solved cases that seemed impossible to solve. If that meant a little conflict once in a while, then so be it. She could handle it.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan found Booth in the kitchen, removing a slice of pizza from a just delivered box. "I thought you were going to cook this evening."

Glancing at his watch, Booth shook his head, grabbed another slice of pizza and placed it on a paper plate along with the first slice. "It's too late, Pizza was easier . . . you go talk to Cam?" Not sure what to expect, Booth carried the pizza slices over to the table and pointed at them. "Here . . . You want a beer?"

Hungry, Brennan sat down and picked up a slice of pizza while Booth retrieved two bottles of beer and placed both of them on the table. "A beer would be fine and yes I talked to Dr. Saroyan. I have decided not to leave the Jeffersonian."

While Booth placed three slices of pizza on his plate, Brennan ate some of her pizza. When he was seated at the table, she placed the slice down. "You told her I was a foster child."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth sipped some of his beer. "She needed to know why you were off the reservation on this case. She was talking about firing you."

"I know, but I wasn't off the reservation Booth . . . at least I don't think I was. I was just making sure that Kelly wasn't being prejudged because she had no parents to protect her." Brennan sipped some of her beer then placed the bottle down. "I never told you this, but I had several foster families before I was put in a group home. The last foster family I stayed with were not nice to me which I expected . . . One day, I was washing dishes in very hot water . . . they insisted that I use hot water because they were germ phobic . . . I dropped and broke a dish and they locked me into the trunk of a car . . . I almost died there. The only reason I survived the ordeal is because my case worker came by to check on me and found I was being punished. I was dangerously dehydrated and my body temperature was too high. The car was sitting in the sun and I was there for two and a half days . . . I have no love of the Foster Care System, Booth. If you're an orphan there is no one that will protect you."

Shocked, Booth placed his pizza slice down and stared at his girlfriend. "My God." He didn't know what to say. Could he find out who the foster parents were and pay them a little visit? He needed to think about this.

"Booth, I know you . . . leave them alone." Brennan could see her boyfriend thinking and she knew him well enough to know where his thoughts were at the moment. "They were charged with child abuse and they both served time for it . . . I don't want you doing anything about it. That was sixteen years ago and I don't want you to damage your career over it . . . promise me Booth."

"Okay, I promise." Staring at his pizza slice, Booth couldn't help but feel hate for Max Keenan at the moment. "I think both of us need to let go of our childhoods. They sucked, but we're way past that now. You're the best forensic anthropologist in the country . . ."

"The world."

Amused, Booth smiled. "Yes, in the world and I'm a damn good FBI Agent. We were given the short end of the stick when we were given our parents, but we're adults and we don't need them. You and I are family. We have what we need in this world . . . I love you, Bones. You can always count on me."

She knew that and that was why she loved him so much. "I love you too, Booth. You can count on me too. We are family." Reaching out she placed her hand over his hand and smiled at him.

"Hey, lets finish eating and maybe we can do a little dancing . . . A little slow dancing." Booth patted the top of her hand. "Or some very slow dancing."

"That's a lovely idea, Booth." Brennan loved to dance with her boyfriend. It felt so intimate and it made her feel connected to him in a deeper way than talking did. "Slow dancing it is."

Picking up his pizza slice, Booth winked at his partner. "I'm glad you're still going to work at the Lab. It would have been tough to find another anthropologist as good as you are."

"There is no one as good as I am. I'm the best in the country. You just said that a little while ago."

Swallowing his bite of pizza, Booth chuckled. "I stand corrected."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

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	31. Chapter 31

(Aliens in a Spaceship)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

The next two months were filled with cases that were quickly solved and a surprising turn in the Franjo Juric case. The Ukrainian Embassy Security Chief, Petro Oliynyk asked to meet Booth away from the Hoover and the Agent had met Petro at the coffee stand near the reflecting pool. As he bought his coffee, Booth noticed Petro waving at him coming up the path. Acknowledging Petro, Booth raised his free hand and walked over to a nearby bench. Once he was seated, he watched Petro buy coffee then join him. "So, Mr. Oliynyk what's up?"

"Petro please, Agent Booth." After he sipped some of his coffee, Petro leaned back against the bench and stared at the pedestrians walking to and from the coffee cart. "I have a friend in Interpol and he called me early this morning. I had contacted him a few months ago about the two men who might have had something to do with Franjo Juric's murder and he promised to find a way to keep an eye on those two. He could do nothing while they were in Russia of course, but he has many interesting friends and those friends have been keeping track of the two men." He sipped his coffee and chuckled. "I am afraid that Juric will not get the justice we wanted for him, but he did get justice in another way."

"What do you mean?" Booth turned to stare at Petro. "Did they leave Russia? Does Interpol have them?"

"No, they did not leave Russia. If they had done so, since we did not have any hard proof that they had killed Juric neither Interpol nor us could have arrested them. It is all just circumstantial evidence." Petro finished his coffee. "One of my friends' interesting friends has reported that Valery Popov and Denis Kuznetsov had an unfortunate accident. They were killed in an automobile accident . . . It is a tragedy I know, but what can you do?"

Alert to Petro's tone of voice, Booth sipped his coffee and mulled over how he should react. "So, the case is closed."

"Yes, it is. Juric's murderers are dead." Petro shook his head. "The accident was rather an odd one. Their car hit a tree. It was the only tree on that stretch of road. Karma I suppose."

"Yeah, I guess it was karma." Booth finished coffee. "Thanks for letting me know about this, Petro. I guess I can close the case. I'll let the State Department know about it."

Standing, Petro threw his empty cup into the trash can near the bench. "It has been interesting Agent Booth. I have made sure that no more bodies will be able to be dumped in our trash cans at the Embassy . . . Did you hear that the Russian Embassy had to be evacuated yesterday for a few hours? I am told that . . . um, there was a great stink in the building and it was stomach turning. I don't know what caused it, but I found it amusing."

His tongue in his cheek, Booth shook his head. "Yeah, well, that is a shame isn't it?" Before he could say anything else, his phone rang and Booth answered it. "Booth."

While Booth talked, he became pale and Petro became alarmed. The conversation over, Booth stood up and jammed his phone in his jacket pocket. "I have to go. My girlfriend has been kidnapped."

"I will go with you to help." Petro was alarmed and he hoped that this wasn't connected to the Russians. They had a strange since of revenge.

"No. There's nothing you can do. I have to go." Booth took off and raced down the path towards the Hoover. He needed his car and he needed to get to the Lab.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

They didn't have the money to rescue Brennan and Hodgins and without that money the Gravedigger would let them die. Booth was frantic to find them and the pressure he placed on everyone at the Lab was enormous, but the coded text message sent from Hodgins and Brennan were the key to their rescue. Miraculously, they had sent a text message from underground and with Booth, Cam and Angela helping Zach wade through the possibilities, the intern was able to pinpoint where Brennan and Hodgins were being held.

The survival of the scientists all came down to how ingenious Brennan and Hodgins had been. They had sent their message and hoped that help was on the way, but they were running out of time and air. They had done everything they could to survive being buried in a car underground, but they didn't want to gamble their lives would be saved in time. With one last desperate act, Brennan had used the explosive in the airbag of the car and destroyed the windshield. They moved trough the dirt and small rocks away from the car and to the surface, but they didn't have the strength to completely free themselves.

Booth had been standing on the edge of the gravel pit trying to pinpoint where the car might be buried and the plume of smoke was the signal he had been looking for. He had known that Brennan would find a way to survive and while he raced to the spot below he had prayed that he would find her alive along with Hodgins.

The spot of disturbed earth told him where to dig and while he desperately tore at the earth trying to free Brennan and Hodgins, the rest of the Lab people joined him. He felt flesh, a hand and he dug to free the hand, the arm and there was Brennan, gasping for breath. He moved more earth and she was free. Pulling her to the side to give the rest of the team room to find Hodgins, he kissed her quickly and returned to help with the frantic search. Hodgins was freed and everyone could breathe freely.

Scrambling back to where Brennan was sitting, he pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her face trying to clean some of the dirt off. "You're dirty."

She didn't know why she laughed but she did. "That will happen when you try to swim in dirt." Brennan grabbed the handkerchief, dropped it on the ground, placed her arms around Booth and held him against her body. "I knew that you would find us. I knew that you would be here."

"Yeah." Booth held her in his arms and felt a great sense of relief. "I was never going to give up looking for you, Bones. Never." He was now surrounded by other FBI Agents and several EMTs.

"Agent Booth. we need to examine Dr. Brennan." The EMT pulled on Booth's arm. "Please Agent Booth."

Reluctantly, Booth released his girlfriend and let the EMTs help Brennan over to the ambulance that was now parked a short distance away. He could hear her protest that she was fine and he felt a wave emotion move through him. A few tears fell from his closed eyelids as he placed his hand over his eyes.

Cam noticed her friend's distress and moved over to where he was sitting. "Hey, she's okay, Booth. She and Hodgins are fine."

Grabbing his handkerchief from the ground, Booth used it to dry his eye lids and cheeks. "Yeah. I knew she would fight to stay alive. She couldn't do anything else."

"Yes, if she and Hodgins hadn't helped us, we never would have found them." Cam squeezed Booth's shoulder. "The Gravedigger made a big mistake going after them."

"Yeah, he did." Booth smiled at Cam, jammed his handkerchief in his jacket pocket and stood up. "Thanks Cam." Booth turned to face the little crowd around Hodgins. "Zach, Angela . . . Hodgins, thank you." Before they could respond, Booth joined Brennan in the ambulance. He smiled at her while the EMTs asked her questions, took her blood pressure and prepared to take her to the hospital. He had almost lost the woman he loved. He made a silent vow to God. He was going to find the Gravedigger and make him pay for what he had done. The serial kidnapper/killer and gone after the wrong people and he would pay for that.

Ooooooooooooooooo

She was sore and didn't want to move. The bath water was still hot enough that she didn't feel the need to leave the tub yet.

"Hey, don't fall asleep, you'll drown." Booth stepped into the bathroom holding a glass of wine. Moving closer to the tub, he knelt next to it and handed the glass to Brennan who had opened her eyes and was staring at him.

"I have no intention of sleeping in the bathtub, but I do feel very sleepy." Sipping from the glass of wine, Brennan smiled at her lover. "I had to shower for quite a while before I dared to draw water for a bath. I had dirt in every crevice."

A little disturbed with the number of bruises on her body that he could see, Booth knew that Brennan had been very lucky to have survived the kidnapping. "Yeah, you were pretty dirty . . . but in a cute way." He laughed. The last twenty four hours had been extremely stressful, but now that he had Brennan back home he could allow himself to relax. "I was going to wash your clothes, but the pants and the jacket have tears in them. You may just want to throw them away."

"Alright." The jacket was a favorite, but she could afford to buy a new one. "The Gravedigger made a mistake when he didn't take our phones with him. He probably thought it would be a way to torture us, knowing that we couldn't call anyone from underground. He didn't know who he was dealing with."

"Yeah, you're a genius. I knew you would find a way to help yourself or at least buy us time to find you. I was counting on your big brain and Hodgins' big brain to figure it out." He was so proud of Brennan and Hodgins. "If you hadn't sent us the message, we would have never found you in time . . . it was smart to send the message to Zach."

Brennan nodded her head. "The message was Hodgins' idea. He had figured out what type of coal and dirt was surrounding the car and he knew that would pinpoint our area. I'm not sure I could have sent such a succinct message to you pointing to where I was. It was unfortunate for him that he was kidnapped with me, but very fortunate for me."

He knew that Brennan never took credit for the work of others. She didn't need to. "Yeah, I'm going to have send Hodgins a present . . . maybe an interesting bug or snake . . . the guy is weird. A good guy . . . Useful, but weird."

The water finally turning cold, Brennan handed Booth her wine glass, reached over for the water to drain from the tub and stood up. "If you'll hand me a towel."

Handing her the towel, Booth noticed that there were bruises on her legs and winced when she turned and he saw an ugly purple bruise on her right hip. Helping her step from the tub, he made sure she was steady before he released her hand. "Hey, I have some soup waiting for you. Do you want me to bring it to you? You can sit in bed and eat it."

"No, I'll go to the kitchen." Brennan rubbed her skin until she was dry. Slipping on her robe, she walked over to where Booth was standing, took the wine glass from him and finished drinking the wine. "Thank you."

He took the empty glass from her hand, placed it on the bathroom sink, placed his arms around her and gently hugged her. "I love you Bones, I would have looked for you forever if I'd had to."

Grateful to have someone in her life that cared for her, whether she lived or died, Brennan returned his hug. "I love you too, Booth."

Ooooooooooooooo

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	32. Chapter 32

(Judas on a Pole)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

He was terrified.

In 1978, Max and his wife had helped rob a bank with a strong arm gang. They had broken into several safety deposit boxes while the gang attempted entry into the vault. Christine had opened one box and discovered several notebooks and tapes and stuffed them into a bag along with their other finds, necklaces, pins, bracelets, cash, some gold bars and other things people felt compelled to hide in the bank. They worked diligently and were startled when they heard multiple gun shots come from the front of the bank. Slipping out of the safety deposit room, Max and Christine peeked around a doorway and saw two state troopers dead on the floor in a growing pool of blood. As quickly as they could they moved to the back of the bank, found the back door and left the rest of the gang behind to deal with the horror they had created.

They had rushed home, packed some bags, removed a few valuable things from the house, placed their children in the car and left Ohio. When they got to Illinois, they found a medium sized town that appeared to be fairly prosperous, found jobs under assumed names and tried to live an unobtrusive a life. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves and after awhile they thought that they had done the impossible and were free from their partners in crime and the FBI.

They had taken the safety deposit valuables with them including the notebooks. Those notebooks turned out to be quite a shock. They were the property of FBI Agent Augustus Harper. An agent that had been assassinated that year by an activist named Marvin Beckett or so everyone thought. The notebooks made Max and Christine believe that Beckett might have been set up by crooked FBI Agents. The material in the notebooks pointed to a group of FBI agents that were working with bank robbers in the Ohio area. The agents were being paid to look the other way and Harper had proof that these agents were violating their sworn duty. He had been in the process of collecting as much data as he could, so there would be no doubt of the guilt of the traitorous federal agents when he had been murdered. His murder had kept this proof from coming to light. Obviously, the scum who had killed Harper knew about the notebooks, but they didn't know where they were.

Max had wanted to turn the material over to someone to help Marvin Beckett, but Christine had been horrified at the thought. She was certain that the FBI would come after them and kill them like they had done Agent Harper. Max had tried to convince her that there had to be good FBI agents and that they would protect them, but Christine wanted to know how they would know who to trust and she had been right. Max couldn't risk his family being murdered.

Over the years, alone and living in Coos Bay, Oregon, Max often thought about his children and his deceased wife. Life had not turned out like he had hoped it would, but he had to live with the consequences of what he and his wife had done. They had fled leaving their children behind when Vince McVicar had found them, hoping to protect Russ and Temperance, but now his children were adults and in danger and he had to do something about it. Christine's body had been found and identified. Temperance and Russ were now connected to Christine and the FBI knew this. That meant that the rogue FBI agents knew too. The notebooks were dangerous to these agents and Max knew that they had been searching for them ever since Harper had died. It probably hadn't taken long for them to connect the notebooks to Max and Christine and now they knew where their children were. This was a disaster.

Max was worried that the rogue agents might go after his children and he needed to do something about it. As quickly as he could, Max had a friend check on his children and Carl had determined that someone was stalking Russ. Max had to do something and he needed to do something quickly before his children were harmed or even killed. His past had finally caught up with him and his children. He couldn't stay in Coos Bay knowing that if he did, his children might die. He had been away from Russ and Temperance too long. It was now up to him to protect them and he would do what he had to do to make sure that they lived through this.

Ooooooooooooooooo

His plans made, Max put them into motion. He had hoped that he would be able to just talk to his kids in a straightforward manner and let them know what was going on and why, but once he was in Washington D.C., he'd had to adjust his plans.

He took on the guise of a Catholic priest and used the identity of an old boyhood friend, Toby Coulter. The priest suffered from dementia and was bedridden in a monastery. Max was certain that he could borrow Toby's identity for a while and no one would be the wiser.

Carl had found out that former Special Agent Delaney was the one stalking Russ and that it looked like Russ' life was in danger. Once they knew it was Delaney, they easily found out his connection to Kirby and that gave Max targets. The execution of Garrett Delaney had been meant to be used as a message to Deputy Director Robert Kirby and the rest of his rogue crew. Back off. Max hoped that his message would force Kirby to leave Russ and Temperance alone, but he needed to make sure.

Cautiously, he had approached Russ first and because of the plastic surgery he'd had done, his son hadn't recognized him. Max's new face had also been a success with his daughter and that left him free to move around the District and not worry about the FBI looking for him. He had a lot to accomplish and probably a short time to do it in.

Max had known about Booth, so he wasn't surprised when Russ told him that Tempe told her boyfriend everything. The FBI Agent was her confident and she was his. That made the situation a little tricky, but Max was a gifted con man and he could work around the problem. His main goal was to get his daughter and her boyfriend to quit looking for him. He was afraid of what would happen to them if they didn't.

Of course, being the stubborn person his daughter was, Temperance had not backed off. She was determined to find her father and her boyfriend was helping her by using the resources of the FBI. The Agent didn't understand that there were bad actors in the FBI and that no one was safe with them running around.

In the end, Max murdered Robert Kirby and sacrificed him as another message to Kirby's crew. Stay away from Russ and Temperance Brennan. If they didn't, they too would be killed, gutted and their bodies burned. Max didn't care how many men he had to kill. He would protect his children and no one would stop him.

Of course, like most plans he'd had to adjust it in the end and he had taken Russ with him when he fled the district. His son was too easy of a target. His daughter had a guard dog by the name of Seeley Booth, so Max was certain his daughter was safe. He hoped someday to return and become the father his daughter needed, but for now, he had to leave her behind and pray that she would understand why he took Russ and left without her.

Oooooooooooooooo

Brennan was devastated. "Booth, my father is a murderer. He killed Delaney . . . Kirby . . . he's not just a bank robber and a conman, he's a killer." She just didn't know how to process that information. "He abandoned me again."

And that was the knife that cut the deepest. Booth knew that Brennan had suffered in Foster Care because of her parents abandoning her and now her father had abandoned her again, this time taking his son with him. Booth was trying to figure out how to help Brennan, but what she had said was true. "He killed Delaney and Kirby to save Russ' life. Kirby took a shot at Russ at the Diner. He meant to kill him. The only reason Russ is alive is because your brother moved at the last second. Then Kirby broke into this house to try to kill Russ and found your father instead."

"Are you defending Max?" Brennan was torn, but she knew that what her father had done was indefensible. Murder was murder. "He killed two men that we know of and he probably had Vince McVicer killed."

"I'm not saying your father is a good guy here. Far from it." Booth was trying to be cautious. "He killed two men who were also murderers and he did it to save his son. I don't condone it, but he thought he had a good reason for doing what he did . . . That said, if I ever see him again, I will arrest him for suspicion of murder."

Her face resting in her hands, Brennan let her tears fall. "My father is a killer . . . I thought he was a science teacher and my mother was an accountant . . . I wish that had been true. The reality of the situation is sickening." She removed her hands from her face, grabbed a tissue from the box on the coffee table and wiped her face dry. "They robbed banks for a living, they were con men and they worked for a murderous white supremacist group that robbed banks."

"Bones, I think they were forced to do that." Booth wanted her to be clear about the facts. "We haven't found any other ties to groups like that in your parents' history. I think the Ohio gang found out about Max and Christine and forced them to work for them. We'll have to ask Max when we capture him, but I'm certain that's true."

"Alright . . . but their nefarious activities are what brought them to the attention of Kirby and Delaney." Brennan wadded up her tissue and placed on the coffee table. "If they really had been a science teacher and an accountant, none of this would have happened. I never would have been abandoned, my mother wouldn't have been murdered, Max wouldn't have had to kill two men . . . they made poor life choices and because of that, we had a federal agent murdered in our house." She found the situation to be surreal.

Booth glanced over to where the oak floor betrayed a dark stain. They had tried to clean up the blood, but the blood had soaked into some of the wood flooring. "The FBI took pictures and samples as evidence . . . I'm going to have to rent a floor buffer to get that stain out." Booth realized that they had been lucky that the FBI accepted their story about Kirby and the Justice Department was going after the other rogue agents. With Harper's notebooks and cassettes there was plenty of evidence to bring those men to justice. Kirby was dead and Max was wanted for his murder, but as long as Brennan's father stayed away and went back to wherever he had come from it was likely that Max Keenan wouldn't pay for what he had done.

Reaching out, Brennan grabbed her partner's hand and sighed. "Russ abandoned Amy and her daughters. He's done exactly what our parents did to us . . . I need to call Amy to tell her what happened . . . I don't know if she'll ever see him again . . . The only family I have is you, Booth. You're the only one I can trust."

Gripping her hand, Booth knew that Brennan had almost been broken by what her family had done. "Hey, you're strong. You've always been strong. You haven't needed your father or your brother for over fifteen years. Everything you've accomplished, you did on your own without their help . . . You don't need them. You have me and really that's all you need. I am the perfect boyfriend."

She couldn't help it, she laughed. "Well, except for your deplorable habit of throwing your socks on the floor."

A smile lit up his face. He had hoped to make her smile and he had done it. "Well, if I didn't have some flaws that would just drive you crazy."

"Yes, it would." Brennan loved her partner and she knew that he was there by her side even when her world turned upside down. "You're right, you are all the family I need, Booth. Max and Russ are not my family. They haven't been part of my family for over fifteen years."

Oooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	33. Chapter 33

(The Man in the Cell)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

No one had seen or heard from Max Keenan for a few weeks and Booth was beginning to believe the man might just get away with murdering Deputy Director Kirby. As a federal agent, he wanted Max caught and removed from society, but he also wanted Max to stay lost for the rest of his life which would protect Brennan from further pain. It was a bad situation and he knew that only time would fix this, one way or another.

In the meantime, they had other things to worry about. Serial killer, Howard Epps escaped from prison, killing a fireman in the process. Epps was considered extremely dangerous and the sooner he was found and returned to prison the safer everyone would be. The man had been responsible for the murder of at least three women and one fireman that they knew of, but it was possible that there were more bodies out there that he was responsible for. Epps' capture was considered a high priority by the FBI and most law enforcement agencies east of the Mississippi River.

The fact that Epps was treating this whole affair as a game infuriated Booth. The serial killer had found Booth's son at the park and given him a written message to give to the agent. Terrified that his son had actually come into contact with Epps, Booth had returned his son to Rebecca and asked her to leave town until Epps was caught. Rebecca saw the danger Parker was in and did what Booth asked. She would do anything to protect her son and God help Epps if he came near Parker again. Rebecca would kill him and not mourn his loss.

The evilness of Epps unfolded very quickly. First, he killed his wife Caroline removing her head and placing it in her former apartment to be found by anyone opening the refrigerator. Hoping to hurt or kill someone else, he had hidden a dangerous toxic powder in her head which Cam found when she opened the head during an autopsy. Because she wasn't following strict protocols, she had broken the fragile glass container containing the deadly powder and was poisoned.

While she lay dying in the hospital, Booth, Brennan and her co-workers tried to find out what the powder was and also tried to track down Epps. Working at a frantic pace, Hodgins, Zach and Angela stayed at the Lab trying to do their job, knowing that if they failed, Cam would die.

"Booth, I'm sorry that Cam has been affected by this." Brennan knew that Cam Saroyan was an old friend of her partner and since they had come up with a way to work together that would not lead to too much conflict, Brennan had grown to like her supervisor.

"Thanks . . . I had to call her father to let him know what happened." The phone call to Mr. Saroyan had been bad and Cam's father had blamed him for not protecting his people. Since Booth agreed with the man, he had not tried to defend himself. "Her mother died a few years ago. Mr. Saroyan has Cam and Felicia and two sons . . . We need to find Epps. If we don't Cam is going to die and it's going to be my fault."

Worried that Booth really believed that, Brennan grabbed Booth's hand and gripped it hard. "You are not responsible for what happened to Dr. Saroyan, Booth. She chose not to follow procedure. If she had worn a mask, the powder would have been ineffective."

Feelings of guilt swept over him. "I badgered her to hurry up with the autopsy of Caroline's head. She rushed procedure because of me."

"No, she rushed procedure because of her." Brennan felt that Booth was taking on responsibility for something he hadn't done. "Yes, you asked her to hurry, but she is a professional coroner. She was the one who didn't comply with basic safety precautions . . . We haven't given up finding the antidote Booth. We're still trying to save her."

His hand covering her hand, Booth nodded his head. "We can't give up. We can't let Epps murder someone else. He's killed enough people."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Epps made a fatal mistake. Ultimately his goal had been to kill Dr. Temperance Brennan. She stood for everything that he hated in women. She was a genius like he was, strong and independent. His escape from prison had not just been to gain his freedom. It had also been the best opportunity to get rid of his wife, Caroline and to kill the anthropologist who mocked everything he stood for.

It hadn't been too hard to find out where Brennan lived. The fact that she lived with Agent Booth was going to make the situation a little bit more perilous, but that just added some excitement to his game. With luck, he would be able to kill Brennan and her boyfriend and that would prove to the world who was smarter and cleverer. To be able to brag about killing Brennan just sent shivers of anticipation running through his body. He just needed to follow his plan and all would turn out like he wanted it to be. No one would send him back to prison and he would get his revenge. He was certain of that.

The Booth/Brennan house in Shirlington was located on a quiet street in a quiet neighborhood and Epps knew that meant strangers were always noticed. He needed to be able to move around the neighborhood without alarming anyone. It hadn't been too hard to steal a lawn service truck and the uniform he would need to wear. They were perfect camouflage. No one questioned people who cut grass. Lawn service was considered background noise as far as most people were concerned and they didn't pay attention to the comings and goings of day laborers like that.

Epps chose the house two doors down and across the street from where Brennan and Booth lived. He was careful to choose a house that was unoccupied at the moment. The owners had been foolish enough to not get their mail service stopped, so it was obvious that no one had been home for a few days. He carried the mail to the front door and placed it on a chair with a rag covering the letters and magazine. He decided to use the house as his base for the next few days. He parked the work truck on the street in front of the house and once the yard was mowed and the bushes had been pruned, he moved to the backyard and gained entry into the house. Epps thought the owners were idiots for not using dead bolts on their doors. The flimsy locks were ineffectual and Epps was pleased to be able to gain easy access.

His plan was to gain entry into Brennan's house when her boyfriend wasn't there. The plan called for him to surprise her in her home, terrorize her for a while, then kill her as painfully as he could. A tire iron would make a lot of nice bruises and broken bones and that was his tool of choice. He loved the sound it made hitting bodies as his victims screamed in terror and pain. When that was accomplished, he would wait for Agent Booth to return home and kill him too.

Ooooooooooooo

Brennan had returned home earlier than she normally did. Caroline Epp's body had been found and with it the antidote. Of course, the bomb planted on Caroline's body had made the recovery dangerous, but the only ones hurt retrieving the bag of powder had been Booth and Zach. Their injuries weren't too serious and consisted of bruises and scratches that they had received when the bomb had detonated.

Her partner had downplayed his injuries, but he did consider himself a hero. After all, he had saved Zach from being blown up when the intern grabbed the bag from Caroline's torso and it amused Brennan that Booth wanted her to notice his heroism. What he didn't realize was that she expected such heroism from Booth whenever dangerous situations arose. He was a protector and that was what protectors did. She knew he was a hero even if she didn't say it.

Epps was still on the loose and while he was, Brennan remained armed. Booth considered her magnum 45 to be too big, but she had bought it because of the large hole it would make in her target if she ever needed it. Her shooting skills were pedestrian at best and if she hit someone with a large bullet it should give her the edge. Of course, she didn't think carrying the gun in her house was necessary, so she placed it in the nightstand in her bedroom when she came home.

After she dropped a load of towels and underclothes in the washing machine, she entered the kitchen and began to prepare dinner. Booth was still running down a few leads and he hoped to track down Epps in the next few days. Hodgins was busy breaking down the powder found in the bag that contained the antidote for the poison used on Cam. He had found traces of herbicide in the powder and let Booth and Brennan know that the powder contained other impurities as well.

As quietly as he could, Epps slipped across the street and behind the house next door to Brennan's house. It was still early in the evening and there were still people on the way home. Making his way past the unoccupied house, Epps entered the backyard of Brennan's house and checked the windows to see if he could see where Brennan was. The light on in the kitchen, he noticed her shadow moving across the closed curtain and knew that his prey was close. Patiently, he waited for her to leave the room and used a pick a lock to open the back door. Not sure where Brennan had gone to, he moved quietly across the room, stopped just inside the doorway leading to the living room and listened. There was noise coming from the room next door and with a smirk on his face, moved into the hallway and into the laundry room.

Slapping the tire iron in his hand, Epps laughed. "You're not as smart as you think you are."

Not as surprised as Epps thought she should be, Brennan turned and faced the serial killer, her gun in her hand. "Hodgins told me about the traces of the herbicide in the poison and the antidote. There has been a lawn care service truck parked across the street for the last three days. When I came home, I noticed that it was still there and a little while ago I realized that it was possible that you were across the street, playing one of your games."

"Bullshit!" Epps was livid. "There are hundreds of trucks like that in the area . . . you heard me unlock the backdoor . . . not that it matters. You're going to be dead in a few minutes. That gun won't protect you."

Puzzled, Brennan kept the gun aimed on Epps. "I think it will . . . Do you think I'm afraid to use it? I wouldn't own a gun unless I was willing to use it."

A smirk playing on his lips, Epps shook his head. "I've dealt with women like you before. My second victim owned a gun too. Like most women, she was too weak to use it and I killed her. I used a tire iron and I broke every bone in her body. I'm going to do the same to you." Raising the tire iron over his head, Epps charged Brennan who calmly shot the man. "You must not know a lot of women."

The shot was loud and could be heard outside. Booth had just pulled into the driveway and was out of his truck when he heard the shot. Quickly unlocking the front door, he drew his gun and shouted. "Bones . . . Bones, where are you?"

"I'm in the laundry room, Booth." Brennan placed her gun on the table next to the washing machine and folded her arms against her breasts. Staring at the dead man at her feet, she noticed a big pool of blood under his body.

Rushing into the room, Booth was quick to notice the body of Howard Epps on the floor near Brennan's feet, a tire iron near his right hand. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, he was going to kill me . . . I shot him." It seemed obvious what had happened, but she explained anyway. "He came in through the back door."

Re-holstering his gun, Booth knelt next to the body and felt for a pulse. "He's dead." Disgusted that Epps had invaded their home, Booth stood up and pulled his phone from his jacket pocket. "We're going to get a reputation with the local police. This is the second man killed in our home in the last few weeks." He called 911 and reported the shooting while Brennan stared at the body of the serial killer.

Booth's offhand remark wasn't funny and yet it was. Brennan shook her head, chuckled and then felt tears escape down her face. "He was going to kill me. I had to protect myself."

Her tears tore at Booth. This was the second man she had killed in the last year and he knew that she was having trouble accepting what had happened. "Hey." He moved closer to her and placed his arms around her. "Hey, Bones . . . this man broke into our house. He planned to kill you. You did what you had to do. Epps was a murderer and he got what he deserved."

Tears still falling, Brennan placed her arms around her lover's chest and leaned her forehead against his neck. "I know that what I did was right, but . . . Epps has made me kill twice . . . Gil Lappin and now him . . . He wanted to make me a murderer."

"Well he failed, didn't he?" Booth rubbed a small circle on her back and spoke quietly. "Lappin tried to kill me and you saved my life and Epps was trying to kill you. You're no murderer. You're a hero . . . you killed dangerous men and kept them from killing someone else . . . You did a good thing Bones. You saved me and today you saved yourself. You did a good thing."

She felt calmer, but still sad. Brennan knew that these deaths were going to haunt her, but she would deal with it like she had done with other unpleasantness in the past. She would accept what she had done and she would move on.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	34. Chapter 34

(The Girl in the Gator)

A/N: Remember, this story is AU.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Quietly sitting at her desk, Brennan found it hard to concentrate. The memory of Epps charging at her and the shot that killed him kept playing over and over in her mind. She had tried to shut it out, to suppress the memory, but it just wouldn't go away.

"Dr. Brennan . . . Dr. Brennan." Hesitating before stepping into the room, Dr. Gordon Wyatt decided he didn't want to startle the forensic anthropologist, so he tried to get her attention once more. "Dr. Brennan." He raised his voice and that caught her attention. "May I come in?"

Not sure who he was, Brennan logged out of her PC and turned to face her visitor. "Yes, I suppose . . . What can I do for you?"

Ready with an answer, Gordon smiled and kept his hands to his sides. He had been told that she didn't like strangers to touch her and he presumed that included shaking hands. "I'm Dr. Gordon Wyatt. I've been asked by Deputy Director Bishop to drop by and talk to you."

"About what?" Puzzled that Bishop had asked the man to talk to her, Brennan became wary.

"Um, well . . . I'm a psychiatrist in the employ of the FBI. I talk to agents . . ."

Growing impatient, Brennan interrupted the doctor. "I am not an agent nor am I employed by the FBI. I work for the Jeffersonian Institute."

"Yes, but you are under contract with the FBI and you work with FBI agents and techs." Gordon walked over to the desk and pointed at the chair. "May I?"

Nodding her head, Brennan tried to determine what the man wanted. "What do you wish to talk to me about?"

"Well, you have been responsible for the deaths of two suspects in the last year and two men have died in your house, interestingly enough, not the same two men." Gordon stared at Brennan rather intently and watched for a reaction. "The Deputy Director is worried about you. He wants to make sure you're alright and can continue to work for the FBI."

Affronted, Brennan leaned on her desk and clasped her hands together. "I don't believe in psychiatry. It is a soft science with no quantifiable evidence to back up your profession. It is all guess work and feelings and other arbitrary factors."

He had been told she would be stubborn and that warning had been correct. "I see . . .Well, I have been sent to talk to you and I do have to comply. Now you may not want to talk to me and that is your prerogative, but I must warn you . . . If you refuse to talk to me, your contract will be suspended. The FBI cannot let you work with Agent Booth until they are sure that you are handling the deaths you are responsible for."

Outraged, Brennan leaned back against her chair and considered asking the man to leave. Deputy Director Bishop was new and he had only met her once. Bishop was the third Deputy Director at the FBI since she had started working with Booth. Cullen had left the FBI after his daughter had died and Kirby had taken over. She had never met Deputy Director Kirby but considering the man had tried to kill her brother, she thought it was a good thing that he had kept his distance from her. Now Deputy Director Bishop was in charge and he was trying to control her life. It infuriated her, but she didn't know what her options were.

She wanted to talk to Booth about the situation, but she assumed that the doctor would not leave until she had answered some questions. Breathing slowly, she used some techniques she had learned while training in martial arts and in a few short moments, she presented a calmer demeanor. "I will hear you out."

It was a concession and Gordon appreciated it. "You killed Gil Lappin five months ago when he attacked Agent Booth and disarmed him. He was going to kill the Agent with a pipe, but you shot Lappin instead." He studied her and saw a tightening of her mouth. "Deputy Director Kirby was killed in your home three months ago and your father has been accused of that murder. Then last week, you were attacked in the home you share with Agent Booth by Howard Epps and you killed him in the laundry room . . . that is a lot of trauma Dr. Brennan."

"I'm not hearing a question." Brennan didn't want to volunteer anything, so she decided to force the man to ask his questions. "Are you going to tell me my past history or ask questions?"

Amused, Gordon hid his smile and nodded his head. "I noticed when I came in this office that you were staring into space. I had to say your name three times to get your attention. Are you having trouble concentrating?"

"Not at all. I was merely cogitating. I am presently working on a new book and that requires a lot of research and preparation." Brennan sighed. "I am busy, so if you don't have any further questions you may go."

"Are you sleeping well? Are you experiencing any nightmares?" Gordon noticed the doctor shift her gaze towards her desktop and he wondered if she was going to lie to him.

She wasn't sure how she should answer the question, but she did hate to lie. "I have always suffered from nightmares. My life has been very dramatic at times. You probably know that I was in Foster Care and I didn't receive proper care. I was kidnapped in El Salvador a few years ago and had to be rescued by an Army Ranger and a CIA Agent. I sometimes dream about that."

Aware that Brennan was evading his questions, Gordon crossed his legs and stared intently at her. "Have you had any nightmares about the death of Gill Lappin, Deputy Director Kirby or Howard Epps?"

"Yes." She kept the answer short. "I assume that is a normal reaction when a death is involved."

"Of course, it is." Gordon smiled. At least she hadn't lied to him. "I think it would behoove me to set up a few sessions with you in the next few days. I would like you to come by my office or I can come here and we can talk. You need to process what has happened to you in the last few months."

"I don't think so." Brennan pursed her lips and decided she didn't want to comply. "I am fine and I don't need your help."

After uncrossing his legs, Gordon stood up. "Well, then it is my duty to inform you that your contract with the FBI has been suspended. Until you do agree to talk to me, you will no longer be called in to work on cases with Agent Booth or any other Agent." Presenting her with his professional card, Gordon moved away from the chair and towards the door. "If you change your mind, feel free to call me."

Stunned, Brennan stared at the card in her hand and realized that the psychiatrist had been serious. If she couldn't work with Booth then their partnership was over. How would Booth react? Did she want this to happen? She didn't know what to do. Pulling her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk, she stood up and realized that she needed to talk to her partner. This is not what she had expected from the FBI and she was afraid that her suspension might become permanent.

Ooooooooooooooooo

She entered her mate's office and closed the door behind her. "Booth, I need to talk to you."

The nervousness exuding from his partner was palatable. "What's wrong?" Booth stood up, came around his desk and placed his hands on her upper arms. "Are you alright?"

"Dr. Gordon Wyatt came by to talk to me. He's an FBI psychiatrist." Brennan was nervous and she found that to be annoying. She was rarely nervous about anything. "He told me that he wanted to set up a few sessions with me and talk about Gill Lappin's death as well as Howard Epps . . . I refused and now my contract with the FBI has been suspended."

Shocked, Booth released her arms. "Suspended?" Not sure what to say, Booth realized that he had to say something. "Look, do you want me to talk to Deputy Director Bishop? Maybe I can call off Dr. Wyatt."

"Bishop was the one who asked Dr. Wyatt to talk to me." Brennan sat on the chair next to the door and placed her purse on the floor. "I don't believe in psychiatry, Booth. It's a soft science that has no quantifiable data to back up anything they do . . . I don't want to talk to Dr. Wyatt, but if I don't then I will no longer be able to work with you."

Not wanting to loom over her, Booth pulled a chair closer to Brennan and sat down. "If Bishop is behind this then I can't stop it Bones . . . If you don't want to talk to him then I'll back up your decision, but . . . I'd rather keep our partnership if it's possible . . . What if I got Dr. Wyatt to include me in the sessions? Would that help? Wyatt might not go for it, but it wouldn't hurt to ask." His phone rang and as Booth listened, he knew that he now had a bigger problem on his hand. "Okay, I'll make arrangements to fly down and look at the situation." The call ended, Booth placed his phone back into his jacket pocket. "Someone was eaten by a gator down in Florida. They want you, but since you're suspended, I'll have to go down with your intern Zach and see what we can do. We'll probably bring the body back to the Lab and let Cam do an autopsy or something . . . I'm sorry, Bones. Just work at the Lab on old bones and we'll take care of this when I get back."

She appreciated Booth's loyalty, but she was furious that she was being kept from doing her job. "I will go see, Dr. Wyatt. This is ridiculous. I don't see how you're expected to do your job without me." She picked up her purse and stood up. "I will call Zach and tell him that he will be traveling with you to Florida . . . It would be wise to have the body sent to the Jeffersonian. I will try to conclude my business with Dr. Wyatt and work with you on the case."

Booth stepped closer to Brennan and kissed here. "I'll call you when I get to Florida . . . Do what you can with Wyatt. Maybe it won't be as bad as you think it is."

Leaving the office, Brennan looked back and saw her mate on the phone, presumably making a call to an airline. Frustrated, she walked out of the bullpen and over to the elevator. After pulling Dr. Wyatt's business card from her wallet, she looked for his office number and decided to see if she could talk to him that day.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

She hesitated but realized that hesitation was not her going to accomplish anything. Knocking on the psychiatrist's door, Brennan stepped into the office. "Because of your suspension, I have had to send my assistant to Florida to help Booth on a case."

Turning to face the forensic anthropologist, Wyatt saw that his patient was very angry. "Have you reconsidered talking to me?"

"Since I don't have a way to avoid your blackmail, then I must give in. I will talk to you under protest." Brennan sat down on a chair near the psychiatrist and stared at him. "I have found that psychiatry is a useless science. All it does is disrupt lives. Ask your questions and I will answer them truthfully. When we are done, you will let me go back to work."

Impressed with Brennan's confidence, Wyatt moved his chair so that he was facing her. "Are you sleeping properly?"

"I am getting eight hours of sleep most nights. Some nights I get about six." Brennan placed her purse on the floor. "I have had some nightmares, but that is normal. I have had nightmares since I was a child and I have grown used to them."

"In regards towards your nightmares lately, do they involve Gil Lappin or Howard Epps?"

"Yes."

"Howard Epps?"

"Yes."

"Have you experienced flashbacks to that moment when you shot Howard Epps?"

"I did at first, but they have stopped . . . When I killed Lappin I had to adjust to the fact that I had killed a man. Booth was of great help. He has killed 50 men in his life, most of them while working as a sniper for the United States Army, the rest as an agent of the FBI. He explained that it was alright to remember Lappin because I had killed him, but he was trying to kill Booth and that meant that I was in my rights to save my partner . . . I accepted what I did and I moved on. I will not forget him nor that I shot him, but I will not let that upset my life."

"I see . . . How about Howard Epps?"

"Booth says that I am a hero. Epps was going to kill me and that I was protecting my life when I killed Epps. I have had a few nightmares that have awakened me, but Booth has been there to make sure I was alright. He suffers from nightmares too, not often, but enough to know what I am going through."

Curious, Wyatt leaned slightly forward. "What does he do to help you when you wake up from your nightmare?"

"He holds me and talks to me . . . He is very considerate and he makes sure I'm not alone . . . Sometimes I ask him to make love to me and he does."

"I see." Wyatt was starting to become fascinated with Agent Booth. "Agent Booth was in the Rangers?"

Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, that is how we met. He was the one along with Danny Beck who rescued me when I was kidnapped in El Salvador. At the time, I didn't think the rescue was necessary, but I didn't get a say in the matter . . . Booth is very good at his job. He used to be used for special missions by the Army. He isn't allowed to talk about them even now, but that is understandable . . . I trust him. He knows what it is like to kill someone and he has found a way to have a normal life. He says that the nightmares will slowly go away. Eventually, I should only have them once in a while like Booth does."

"You trust Agent Booth?" Gordon found Brennan to be refreshingly honest.

"Yes, I do." Brennan cocked her head to the side. "I will not forget that I have killed two men, Dr. Gordon, but I did what I must do to save Booth and myself. I can live with killing them because that is what I must do. Booth doesn't take the killing of anyone lightly. When he kills someone, he has many doubts, but he is a man of faith and he has found that talking to a priest helps him. I am not a believer in God, but I do believe in science and I trust that facts are facts. If I hadn't killed Gil Lappin, he would have killed Booth and possibly me and Helen Majors, the young woman Lappin had kidnapped. If I had not killed Howard Epps, he would have killed me and possibly Booth. I did what I had to do. I will have nightmares for a while, because taking a life is no small thing, but they will stop and my life will go on."

Impressed, Wyatt smiled. "You have a very healthy outlook on life, Dr. Brennan. Congratulations. It normally takes months for some of my patients to get where you are. You're lucky to have a partner like Agent Booth."

"Yes, I am. Will you allow me to work with Agent Booth now?" Brennan glanced at her watch and decided she might still be able to go with Booth to Florida.

"No, not yet." Wyatt saw her annoyed expression, but he did have a job to do. "I would like to have a least one more session with you tomorrow. There are a few things I need to talk to you about. After that, I might be able to let you work with Agent Booth on a probationary period. I will want to monitor your work in the field and at the Lab."

Her eyes glinting, Brennan felt that Wyatt was being obstinate, but she had little power to change his mind. "One more session and that must be tomorrow. Agent Booth will probably be back with the victim from Florida on Thursday and I want to be at the Lab during the autopsy."

"We'll see." Wyatt stood up. "We're off to a great start Dr. Brennan. I am looking forward to our next session."

"I'm not." Brennan stood up and left the office. She decided to return to the Lab and prepare to work on Booth's case. He should not work without her expertise. He needed to work with her because she was the best in her field.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	35. Chapter 35

(The Girl in the Gator)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Since Brennan wasn't a fan of psychiatry and Dr. Wyatt wanted to avoid the accoutrements of his office, he decided to meet with the forensic anthropologist in her office. "Dr. Brennan do you have time for a session now?"

Surprised to see the psychiatrist, Brennan slowly closed the file she was updating and turned to face him. "I actually don't, but I don't suppose that will stop you."

The hostility emanating from the younger woman was more than obvious, but Gordon had a job to do and he would not let her intimidate him. "No, I suppose it won't." Sitting on the couch facing the anthropologist, he laid his arm across the back of the couch and smiled. "Have you heard from Agent Booth?"

"Yes, he conferred with Dr. Addy, my assistant and they have determined that it would be better if the alligator was sent to the Lab with the victim inside. That way no evidence will be compromised. We will have a small window of opportunity to accomplish the autopsy before the acid in the alligator's stomach damage's the body."

"I see." Gordon was very thankful that he had got into psychiatry and not forensics or forensics anthropology. "Well, since your partner is not here and neither is the evidence there is time for us to talk and perhaps your suspension can be lifted. This will all hinge upon how much cooperation I get from you."

Annoyed with his veiled threat, Brennan glared at the man before speaking. "Begin the session. I have work to do."

Aware that the Brennan was trying to control what was going on, Gordon slid his arm down the couch to his side and crossed his legs. He was using the time to take control back and he knew that she knew that. "How are you sleeping?"

"I believe I answered that question yesterday, but if your memory is that faulty, I will repeat myself. I am getting eight hours of sleep most nights. Some nights I get about six."

Her insults not having an effect on him, Gordon nodded his head. "I meant last night."

"I slept six hours last night. I am unused to sleeping alone." Brennan wondered what the psychiatrist wanted from her. "Booth will return tonight and I will get a more restful sleep this evening."

Gordon couldn't get over the fact that Brennan was so straightforward when it came to her answers. She wasn't being evasive, but then again, he hadn't asked her the hard questions yet. "A man was murdered in your home two month ago, FBI Deputy Director Robert Kirby to be exact . . . it is believed that your father murdered the man."

Since she didn't have a rebuttal, Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "Booth says that Max has been presumed to have killed Kirby. It will be up to the jury to decide if that is true or not."

"Agent Booth is a very interesting man." In fact, the psychiatrist found that the more he heard about the agent, the more he'd like to meet him. "Your father fled the area with your brother . . . they abandoned you like they did when you were a child."

Angry that Gordon knew so much about her, Brennan found that she hated psychiatry even more. "Yes, when I was fifteen years old. I was placed in Foster Care and stayed there until I aged out of the system."

Again, honest and forthright. "How do you feel about your family abandoning you again?"

"My father and my brother are only part of my family. I still have Booth and his grandfather in my family so I am not alone this time."

"No, I suppose you aren't." Gordon smiled. "That makes a difference doesn't it? You're not alone this time."

Her thoughts on her mate, Brennan's features softened. "Yes, it does."

"You found your mother's bones at the Jeffersonian a few years ago. She had been murdered." Gordon was careful about this next part. "I assume the discovery was a shock. The man accused of murdering your mother was killed in prison before he could go to trial . . . do you feel that your mother got justice?"

"My mother is dead and getting her justice will not change anything . . . the death of her murderer was unfortunate since we weren't able to question him on the stand about what happened and why." Brennan didn't say anything further. No one else knew that her father might have had McVicar killed and she would not volunteer that information.

He could see the tension in her body and presumed that she hated talking about her dead mother. "Your mother and father were career criminals. Your brother is a career criminal. Do you feel any connection to them at all since you work with law enforcement?"

"Are you intimating that I may be a criminal too? That I killed Epps and Lappin for other than reasons of self-defense?" Brennan was outraged. She had always worked to help victims of violent crime. "I am not a criminal, Dr. Wyatt."

Holding up his hands, palms towards his patient, Gordon shook his head. "You are assuming a lot, Dr. Brennan. In no way should you have construed what I said as censure. You work with the FBI and the CIA to help identify victims of crimes and war. I was just asking you if that made you feel distant towards your family." He had hit a nerve and he knew it.

Embarrassed that she had over reacted, Brennan felt her cheeks warm. "I do feel some distance between my father and brother and myself . . . it doesn't help that they keep abandoning me. They obviously don't consider me to be part of their family since I am so easily thrown away." She hadn't meant to be that honest, but the words were spoken and she couldn't take them back.

Her answer gave him pause. Did she really think that her family had thrown her away? "Perhaps thrown away may not be the right phrase to use in this case . . . According to Agent Booth, he thinks your parents fled leaving you and your brother behind to protect you. According to his report he wrote about Vince McVicar, he thinks McVicar threatened them and they left you behind to protect you from him."

Brennan shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't ask them to leave me to behind to protect me from anyone . . . I would have been better off with them than in the Foster Care System."

"Perhaps, but your mother was killed by McVicar." Gordon watched her closely, but she didn't react to his statement. "Alright . . . I am going to allow you to work with your partner starting tomorrow, but . . . I wish to observe you working with Agent Booth and with your fellow employees. I think a day or two of observation will give me what I am looking for."

Surprised with Gordon's capitulation, Brennan nodded her head. "I don't know what you hope to see, but if you must then I will inform Booth when he gets home tonight."

Standing, Gordon smiled at the younger woman. He admired her honesty. "You have been surprisingly forthcoming, Dr. Brennan. I appreciate that. It makes my job so much easier."

"I do not lie . . . unless it is absolutely necessary. Booth says that its okay to lie to someone under certain circumstances." Brennan quickly continued. "He has done that in the past when he has told a victim's surviving relatives that the victim died quickly and didn't feel any pain. He says that the love one will bear the death easier that way. As a rule, Booth is a very honest person, but he says there are times when lying is more helpful than telling the truth . . . In your case, it serves no purpose to lie to you."

"Thank you." Gordon was looking forward to meeting Dr. Brennan's partner. He clearly had an interesting influence on his partner. "I will see you tomorrow morning."

Once he was gone, Brennan returned to her report. Now that she would be able to work with Booth on his current case, she wanted to finish what she was working on. She wasn't happy that Dr. Wyatt was going to follow them about on their case, but she was glad that her suspension was ended at least for the time being.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

It had been a long two days and Booth was glad to be home. "Don't get me wrong, Zach is okay I guess, but . . . well, he's not you. I'm glad Dr. Wyatt is going to allow you to work with me. You're my partner and you're who I want to work with." He removed his jacket and placed it in the closet. "Did Dr. Wyatt say why he wants to follow us around?" Booth wasn't sure he wanted a shrink shrinking him. He'd had his fill of psychiatrists in the Army and he avoided them if he could.

Unpacking Booth's bag, Brennan placed his clean underclothes in his dresser drawer while Booth grabbed the plastic bag containing his dirty clothes. "He didn't say. I assume he wishes to observe how well we work together . . . I had a dream last night. It wasn't about Epps. It was about my mother."

Her voice sounded sad and Booth wished that he had been home the previous evening to help her. "Hey maybe all those questions Wyatt asked you triggered the dream." He placed the bag down on the bed and took her hand in his hand. "You should have called me, we could have talked about it."

"No, I didn't want to wake you." Brennan kissed him. "It wasn't a bad dream. I saw my mother sitting in the living room reading a book. She looked relaxed . . . she spoke to me. She reminded me to study for my test . . . I suppose it was a memory."

"It sounds like a nice dream, Bones." Booth rarely dreamed about his mother. She had been gone too long from his life and there were few good times between them. "Did you study for your test?"

Chuckling, Brennan pulled her hand from his hand and handed him the bag of dirty clothes. "I don't have tests anymore . . . at least I hope not. I'm not sure what Dr. Wyatt plans for me or for you . . . Go start the laundry and I'll finish unpacking your clothes."

"Well, I'm not taking any tests." Booth took the bag and left the room. He didn't know what Wyatt expected to see, but he would make sure to shine a light on his partner. He didn't want to stop working with Brennan and if he could show how valuable she was to the team then maybe Wyatt would leave her alone. Killing Epps had been necessary and Wyatt had to know that. What was she supposed to do, let him kill her?

Oooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: as many of you may have surmised, Sully will not be a love interest of Brennan's in this story.


	36. Chapter 36

(The Girl in the Gator)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Fascinated, Dr. Gordon Wyatt had followed Booth and Brennan around for the next two days. He watched them as they interviewed Monte Gold, the founder of an online website called Hotybodies, a few of his employees, a strange preacher whose purpose seemed to be to follow Monte around lambasting any woman who came in contact with Monte and the victim's father, Bill Dowd.

Booth seemed to grow very impatient when anyone showed Brennan lack of respect and Brennan reminded the agent that she didn't need protection. Gordon observed how they reacted when they found Monte dead and how they treated Bill Dowd when they determined that he had been the one who had killed Monte.

It made Gordon sad that Mr. Dowd had killed Monte not because he was looking for revenge but because the Hugh Heffner 'want to be' had provoked Mr. Dowd by telling him that his daughter Judy had been 'asking for it'. By telling Bill Dowd that Judy had 'wanted it' Monte had sealed his fate and Mr. Dowd would pay for that for the rest of his life.

He rarely went out in the field and Gordon realized that agents were likely to see the worse of humanity and still have to keep an even temperament as much as they could. Most of the agents had someone or something that allowed them to move on in their lives and to push the horrors they had to deal with to the back of their mind. He was available if the agents were having trouble finding stability in their lives and he had helped a few agents find coping mechanisms that allowed them to do their jobs and live their lives while dealing with things the average citizen wasn't even aware of.

Concerned for Brennan, Gordon had kept an eye on her and how she interacted with her partner. It didn't take him long to notice the support that Booth gave her. It wasn't always overt which he found interesting. Sometimes it was just a look or a touch on the arm that assured her that everything was alright. He assured her with quick little conversations and she in turn assured him. The psychiatrist had observed the agent's quick temper and the calming affect that his partner had on him. They worked as a team as they moved on from one clue to the next in a methodical manner.

Gordon also found it fascinating that they could bicker at the drop of a hat and yet find common ground and move on rather quickly. He found the couple's partnership to be captivating and he wished he could find an excuse to follow them around for a few more days.

The case solved, they adjourned to the Royal Diner where they had a celebratory cup of coffee and dessert. "Well Doc, you can see Dr. Brennan is more than alright. We solved our case and a lot of it was due to her ability to read bones. She found the thread marks in the bones of Judy Dowd and Dr. Hodgins was able to use that to figure out it was a gear shifter without the handle that had killed her. The thread marks matched the gear shift in Isaac Horn's truck and now a murderer is off the streets. We make a great team."

Aware that Booth was trying to give Brennan most of the credit for solving the case, it just made their relationship that much more fascinating. "You do seem to work together quite well."

Brennan leaned back against her chair as her cup of coffee and her bowl of mixed fruit was placed on the table in front of her. "You can see that shooting Howard Epps has not affected my ability to work with Booth or everyone at the Lab. Epps attacked me in my home and I protected myself. You and the FBI made too much of what happened."

Megan, the waitress who was delivering the plates and cups to the table, ignored Brennan's statement and continued her work. The diner was a hangout for people from the Jeffersonian and the Hoover and she had heard much worse things during her career at the Diner. Gordon had watched Megan to see how she reacted to Brennan's statement and noticed the slight smile on her face. _Fascinating._

"It is my responsibility to make sure that you're alright and not being affected by the home invasion." Gordon sipped his coffee. "The police report considered it a home invasion and that you had a legal right to protect yourself, so there will be no legal ramifications. I'm merely making sure there are no personal ramifications. The situation is complex. Epps was the second man you have had to kill. The first time was to protect Agent Booth and the second one was to protect you. Taking a life is never easy."

"And it shouldn't be, but Bones . . . Dr. Brennan had to do what she did." Booth stared at the psychiatrist trying to make him see that Brennan was alright. "She didn't celebrate the deaths you know. She felt bad about both deaths, but she's strong and she knows that sometimes we have to do things to protect ourselves or our loved ones that makes us cross a line. Sometimes the person we kill is so horrible that if they aren't stopped we know that worse things are going to happen."

Annoyed that both men were talking as if she wasn't present, Brennan placed her fork down and interrupted the conversation. "Gil Lappin attacked Booth with the intention of murdering him. Howard Epps attacked me intending to murder me. I could not allow either happenstance to happen. I took no pride in killing them, I didn't rejoice or celebrate their deaths. I talked it over with Booth and he helped me to see that what I did was the correct thing to do. If I am ever confronted by anyone in the future that wishes to kill me or Booth or anyone else that I know, I will not hesitate to protect me or anyone else that needs it."

Impressed, Gordon nodded his head giving her a pleasant smile. "I have seen you work with others for the last two days and I agree that you seem to be doing well. I am concerned that your father killed a man in your house and then abandoned you taking your brother with him, but you seem to be handling that too . . . I would like to arrange to meet with you once a week in my office . . . I know you think it's unnecessary, but I really would like to make sure you're doing well. It's just for an hour a week."

Booth noticed that Brennan was angry but decided that she had to handle the situation. He felt that the psychiatrist was testing her and he needed to let his partner do what she thought was best for her. He wouldn't force her to do anything. He would back her up whatever she decided to do, but it wasn't up to him to make decisions for her. She was her own person and that was one of the things that Booth admired about her. She was strong and independent and she could take care of herself most of the time.

Wary, annoyed and yes angry, Brennan finally nodded her head. "I will meet with you once a week. I don't think it will accomplish much since psychiatry isn't a real science and you have nothing to prove that it is . . . I will remain Booth's partner?"

Her words might have wounded someone with less confidence than Gordon, but he took her statement as a defense mechanism and not personal. "Yes, of course. I wouldn't dare to go so far as to break up the best investigative team on the east coast unless there was ample reason and so far I don't see any reasons to do so."

Relieved, Brennan picked up cup of coffee and sipped some of the cooling brew.

"Alright." Booth as happy. He wasn't going to lose his partner and Brennan would have another sounding board she could use when she was needed it. He tried to be there for his partner, but sometimes he wasn't sure that he was that much of a help. Having someone else to talk to might help Brennan with her anger towards her brother and father and that was a good thing as far as Booth was concerned. "Like I said, we solved another case and another bad guy is off the streets."

Brennan smiled. "Yes, Judy will get justice and Isaac Horn will be unable to hurt anymore young college students."

Gordon picked up his donut and took a bite. He was pleased that Booth and Brennan were working as a team and that they clearly loved their work. "Here here."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

After lunch, Booth was in the middle of a budget report when he heard a knock on the frame of his doorway. Looking up, he found Gordon Wyatt standing there. "Yeah?"

Stepping into the room, Gordon smiled at the agent. "May I speak to you for a moment?"

Wary, Booth leaned back against his chair and pointed at the chair in front of his desk. "About what?"

Once he was settled on the chair, Gordon leaned forward. "Dr. Brennan has been responsible for two men's deaths in the last year and a man was murdered in the home you both share. Her father is suspected of killing Deputy Director Kirby and former FBI Agent Garrett Delaney. Max Keenan took her brother with him when he fled leaving his daughter behind."

Not sure what the psychiatrist wanted from him, Booth paused before replying. "What's your question?" He wasn't about to add fuel to the fire by volunteering anything.

Aware that Booth probably didn't trust him, Gordon was careful with his question. "Do you feel that Dr. Brennan is handling the situation? I have only observed her for a few hours and I noticed that she is impatient with those she works with. Is that normal?"

"She's a genius, Doc." Booth wanted the older man to see that he was worrying over nothing. "She thinks faster that everyone around her . . . well maybe not Zach, but that guy is a freak of nature. Bones . . . Dr. Brennan is usually two steps ahead of everyone around her when it comes to bones and bodies and science stuff. She's also pretty damn observant and she picks up on things that a lot of other people don't see. If she's impatient, it's because she hates waiting for everyone else to catch up with her. Everyone that works with her knows how she is and they usually don't take offense or try not to."

"But you do . . . I've seen you two argue." Gordon had found the bickering to be distracting although everyone that worked with them ignored it or seemed to anyway.

Booth could see that he needed to explain how his partnership worked. "Look, Bones . . . Dr. Brennan is all about facts and data and logic. I'm about motive and instinct and emotions. Sometimes my gut tells me something and Bones doesn't believe it or understand it . . . we argue about it, but we usually move on and wait to see who's right and who's wrong. Sometimes she's right and sometimes I'm right. Sometimes we're both right, which is kind of weird, but it's because we come at the problem from different angels. Sometimes I get impatient with her and I know she gets impatient with me, but it's how our partnership works. It has from the beginning. What you saw these last two days is the authentic Dr. Brennan. She isn't trying to cover up anything or hide anything. That's not who she is. If she has a question, she asks it. If she thinks we're running after the wrong clues, she lets me know. I explain what I think we're doing. She might give me the benefit of the doubt or she may not. It depends upon how vested she is in a theory, but I'm the same way. Bones is fine about killing Epps . . . She cried about it, but she accepted that she had to do it. She isn't some unfeeling robot. She feels things just like everyone else, but she doesn't display that side of herself too much. It's just who she is. As for Max leaving her behind, that hurt her like hell. She thinks her father doesn't want her and believe me that's tough to take, but she has me and she has Pops, my grandfather and she has her friends and we're going to make sure she knows that she's loved. Max can go to hell as far as I'm concerned and so can Russ, but I'd never tell Bones that. They may show back up in her life some day and I won't stop that if it happens."

"You're a very complicated fellow, Agent Booth."

"Aren't we all." Booth leaned forward. "We all deal with things that suck in our life. We can obsess about them or we can move on. I don't think we should live in the past. It's not healthy. Bones is moving forward and I think it's the right thing to do and I'm right there beside her, moving forward with her."

Gordon smiled and stood up. "I hope that if you ever need anyone to talk to anyone that you will come see me." Moving towards the door, Gordon paused and looked back. "You have a lot of influence over your partner. That can be good or bad."

"Yeah, I know." Booth sighed. "Believe me, I know that."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	37. Chapter 37

(Killer in the Concrete)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Over the next couple of months, Brennan visited Gordon Wyatt several times along with her partner. Neither felt it was the best way to use their time, but it was a small price to pay to keep their partnership intact and Booth's boss happy. After the fourth appointment, Gordon decided that Brennan really wasn't in distress over the killing of Epps and seemed to have the support she needed. "I've decided to stop the sessions, Dr. Brennan. You and Agent Booth don't need to come back unless you want to." He had other agents that were in need of his help and even though he enjoyed the conversations with the couple, he couldn't in good conscious waste their time or his.

"We don't want to." Brennan had been quick to reply and Booth had laughed. She knew that she was fine and even though killing Epps had been troublesome for a few weeks, she had stopped dreaming about his death and she hoped it remained that way.

Free from psychiatric snooping, Booth had waved at Gordon on the way out of the door. "I told you she was fine, Doc." Once they were out of the room, Booth grabbed Brennan's hand and pulled her into his embrace. The outer office was unoccupied and Booth wanted to take advantage of that. After sharing an intimate kiss, they separated and continued out into the hallway. "I'll see you later, Bones. I have a pile of work on my desk."

Stopping off at the Diner for a cup of coffee and an apple fritter, Brennan was surprised to see her father sitting at a table in the back of the room. Moving quickly towards the table, Brennan removed her phone from her purse and called Booth. "My father is at the Royal Diner."

"Oh Honey, don't be that way." Max had returned to the area trying to connect with his daughter. He was feeling guilty abandoning her again and he wanted her to know that he wanted to be part of her life. "Tempe, I want to talk to you."

 _Any chance Max will stick around until I get there?_

Before she could answer, Max stood up and placed a ten dollar bill on the table. "I really would like to talk you. Have some pie and coffee on me." He walked towards the front entrance and was gone in a moment.

"No, he's gone." Not sure what her father was up to, Brennan sat down and stared out of the picture window next to the table at the pedestrians moving down the sidewalk. Max wasn't in sight. "He said he wants to talk to me."

 _Maybe you should let him. At least you can find out what he wants and why he's back._

With mixed feelings, Brennan sighed. "He's a wanted man. I don't want to talk to him. I want you to arrest him." Her father was a murderer and men like him belonged in prison. Didn't they?

 _Well, if it was my father, I'd want to know what he wants to tell me, but that's me. You okay?_

"Yes, I'm fine." Brennan ordered a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone instead of the apple fritter she originally wanted. "I wasn't expecting to see him. Do you think he's following me?"

 _Maybe. Look, the next time you see him, hold back and call me. Maybe I can get there before he bugs out._

"Alright." The call ended, Brennan picked up the money her father left and when the waitress came back with her order, she handed it to her along with the money for her order. "This is for you." Brennan didn't want her father's money and thought it would be more useful to the waitress.

Surprised she was getting such a big tip, Jane smiled. "Thanks Dr. Brennan. I appreciate it."

Oooooooooooooooo

Everyone was worried and they weren't sure what to do about it. Booth was missing and they didn't know where to look for him. Brennan was informed by the FBI that they had tracked down his truck to a parking space outside a decrepit hotel in Baltimore, Maryland, but there was no sign of Booth. Afraid that something had happened to her mate, Brennan tried to recreate his movements before he disappeared. Once she was in Baltimore, she stopped at the park where Booth had called her from and tried to decide what to do next.

Unaware that she was being followed, she was surprised, when her father suddenly appeared next to her car. "Honey what's going on? Why are you here?" He had been keeping an eye on Brennan for a few days and Max had noticed that Booth hadn't been home since the day before. He hadn't really thought that anything was wrong, until Brennan had left work in the middle of the day and drove out of town. To his surprise, he had followed her to Baltimore and he was starting to worry why.

Afraid for her boyfriend, Brennan exited her car and looked over at the men in the park who were playing with remote planes. "Booth was trying to track down a hit man named Ice Pick Kennedy. His real name isn't Ice Pick it's Hugh Kennedy. Booth thought it was appropriate to call him Ice Pick." She knew she was rambling, but she was trying to determine what to do and her father being in the area confused her. "He is connected to a case we're working on and it's possible that Ice Pick was the murderer we're looking for. Our victim was found in Baltimore and he was part of a crime organization run by Melvin Gallagher."

"Oh God." Max knew exactly who Hugh Kennedy and Melvin Gallagher were. "Those guys are very dangerous men. If Booth was tracking Ice Pick alone, he could be in real trouble. I mean really big trouble."

She didn't care how her father knew who Ice Pick and Gallagher were, but since he did, she thought he might be useful. She needed to find Booth as soon as possible since the longer he was missing the greater the possibility was that he was dead. "We know that Ice Pick is missing a leg. I think Booth may have figured out who he was and confronted him."

"I can tell you that Hugh was addicted to model airplanes." Max watched the group of men in the park preparing their model planes to fly them.

"Yes, we know." Brennan turned to stare at the pilots. "Someone we interviewed mentioned it. Booth decided he could use that information to find Ice Pick." Moving towards the park, Brennan was determined to find where Ice Pick was and perhaps find Booth.

Following his daughter to the park, Max decided that she couldn't investigate Booth's disappearance by herself. He knew that she was looking for a very dangerous man and Hugh Kennedy would murder her without a qualm if it would keep him free from the law.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

With Angela, Zach and Hodgins working in the Lab and Brennan and Max working the streets, Booth was found in an air hanger belonging to Melvin Gallagher at the Purdue Airfield in Oakville, Virginia.

Melvin Gallagher and his associate Clark Lightner were desperate to know if Hugh Kennedy was alive and they had kidnapped and tortured Booth to try to get that information. Booth had realized that if he said anything they'd kill him and if he could resist the Republican Guard while a prisoner of war then Melvin and his lackey would be a cake walk.

Of course, that cake walk had been quite painful. Gallagher and Lightner slapped him, beat him, kicked him and used a white-hot screwdriver on his leg. Booth had tried his best to pretend that what they were doing to him was insignificant, but in reality he was in a great deal of pain when he was rescued by his partner and her father. Much to his annoyance, Max left the area right after he was rescued, so the con man was still on the run.

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

The FBI had appreciated that Brennan had found their agent. Both Brennan and Booth were taken to a nearby hospital so that his injuries could be treated. Once Booth was released from the hospital, Agent Harris had driven them both to their home. "The next time you decide to investigate someone on your own, I'm going to kick your ass, Booth." Harris worked for Booth in Major Crimes and he couldn't believe that his boss had gone after Hugh Kennedy by himself. "You have a partner, you should have taken her with you or someone else if she wasn't available."

Annoyed, Booth roused himself enough to stop his agent from his rant. "Just stop, Harris. I had a hot lead and I followed it. Kennedy got the drop on me, but he didn't kill me. He just tied me up in that hotel room and left me there. Gallagher and his stooge were looking for Kennedy too and they were the ones who kidnapped me . . . But yeah, I get that I shouldn't have gone on my own."

Brennan agreed with Harris, but she decided to wait until they were home before she brought up the subject. Her partner had tried to downplay his injuries, but she had seen his x-rays and she knew that he was going to need a few weeks to recover.

Once they were home, Harris helped get Booth inside the house and into bed. "Call me if you need me." Harris admired Booth and his fearlessness, but he was afraid that that fearlessness was going to get him killed someday.

Alone, Brennan leaned over her lover where he lay and studied the bruises on his face, chest, ribs and legs and the burn mark on his right leg. "The kicks to your ribs broke three of them. They will take a while to heal . . . The burn mark isn't too deep. It did do some muscle damage and it's possible you may have to use crutches for a few days." Glad that his injuries weren't as bad as they could be, she leaned over further and kissed him. "I'm glad you're home."

His ribs hurt and moving made them throb, but Booth placed his hand behind her head and kissed her. "Thanks for finding me. I was counting on it." He kissed her once more and moved his hand back so that it rested on the mattress next to him. "How did Max get involved in my rescue?"

Sitting on the bed next to her boyfriend, Brennan decided to be honest. "Max has been following me. I told you that I thought he was . . . When I drove up to Baltimore, he followed me there. He was curious about why I was in Baltimore and he confronted me. I told him that you were missing and he decided to help me look for you. When he heard that you had been looking for Hugh Kennedy and Melvin Gallagher, he became concerned for your well being. He said they are notorious in certain circles. I assumed he meant criminal circles."

"I don't like that Max has been following you around, but we can't do anything about it. At least not yet." Tired, Booth rubbed his eyes carefully, trying not to make sudden movements. "I don't know how you found me, but I knew you would . . . Harris is right, I should have brought you with me . . . I guess Kennedy is alive, but he's going to go into hiding again and we're probably never going to find the guy."

"You had me worried when you disappeared." Brennan sighed. "I'm glad that Max was able to help me look for you, but he's a wanted man and I should have arrested him or let the swat team arrest him . . . but, I couldn't let him be arrested, Booth. He helped me find you . . . I let him borrow my car to get away. I was grateful for his help."

Booth reached out and placed his hand over Brennan's hand. "Hey, no one expects you to turn your father in, Bones. If he's going to keep hanging around and following you, we'll catch him sooner or later. It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. You did everything right as far as I'm concerned."

She sat beside him until Booth fell asleep. Once he was resting, she covered him with a blanket and left the room. Moving into the living room, she noticed something was out of order on the coffee table. As she got closer to the table, she could see that there was a piece of paper on top with a glass dolphin and a picture of Brennan and her mother resting on top of it. Curious, she read the letter. _Tempe, I really need to talk to you about your mother._

Tired and feeling drained, she sat down on the couch and held the dolphin in her hand. The picture of her mother was a surprise since she didn't remember taking the picture with her mother. With mixed feelings, Brennan thought about her father and mother and decided that she wanted her father to stay away from her. She knew he was a murderer, but he was her father and she didn't want anything bad to happen to him. She knew that if he was foolish enough to keep trying to talk to her then he would be captured by law enforcement and he would be tried for murder. He had helped her find Booth and that meant there was still some good in Max. Wasn't there?"

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	38. Chapter 38

(The Glowing Bones in the Old Stone House)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Booth and Brennan were investigating the death of Carly Victor and they had decided to start with her husband at Carly's restaurant, Carly's Table on Calvert Street. When they arrived, they found the place to be very busy and filled with happy patrons. While they talked to the reservationist, Booth noticed someone get up from a nearby table and walk over. "Hey Petro, what are you doing here? I mean it's really hard to get a reservation here. I know, I've tried."

Placing his left hand on Booth's shoulder, Petro shook the agent's hand. "I made this reservation about two months ago. There was a last minute cancellation and they gave it to me." Petro smiled at Brennan. "Dr. Brennan, I have read your latest book and I loved it. Of course, the victims being tied up in red tape was very appropriate for bureaucrats. I of course do not approve of murdering bureaucrats, but still, it was very amusing and your story was quite intriguing.

"Thank you." Brennan had met Petro at a crime scene earlier in the year and she remembered that he had helped with the case. "It seemed a logical thing for the murderer to do."

"Yes, I agree." Petro listened to Booth talking to the reservationist and realized that he was there on a case. "Um, there is something wrong?"

Booth turned to look at his friend. "Yeah, there is. My partner and I have to talk to the Carly's husband. Nice seeing you again."

Curious, Petro watched Booth and Brennan walk towards the kitchen and wished he could join them. Being Security Chief at the Ukrainian Embassy was a boring job sometimes. At least it was when Russians weren't trying to implicate Ukrainians in murder.

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It didn't take more than a few days to find out that Carly had been murdered by her best friend, Abby Singer. Carly had had an affair with Abby's husband and Abby had killed Carly because of it. The case had been depressing as far as Booth was concerned. A young woman was dead, her best friend would spend the rest of her life in jail and their husbands had to live with the repercussions. "I really hated this case." Booth sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his leg where the scar caused by being burned with a hot screwdriver was itching. He was still recovering from his injuries, but he was growing impatient. His ribs were still healing and that meant he couldn't exercise like he wanted to. "How long before my ribs are healed?"

"Three more weeks." Brennan removed her jewelry and placed it in her jewelry box. "You can't exercise for three more weeks."

"I wasn't going to." Booth sighed. "No one has seen Max since he helped you find me. I don't know if he's in the area or not, but if he knows what's good for him, he went back home, wherever home is."

Removing some pajamas from her dresser, Brennan turned to face Booth. "I'm sure he realizes that if he returns he will be arrested and tried for murder." She dreaded the idea of her father being tried since there was ample evidence to prove that he had killed Deputy Director Kirby and he would be convicted. "He's stayed away for fifteen years. I am sure he will stay away for another fifteen years. He doesn't need me in his life now that Russ is with him."

He could hear the sadness in her voice and Booth only felt bad for his lover. "Bones, I think he does love you. He left the dolphin and the letter and . . . well, he risked a lot to come back and do that. I think he wants to be a part of your life, but he's not sure how to do it. If he shows up again, I will arrest him. It's my job."

"I know." Brennan sat on the bed next to her partner. "He said he wants to talk about my mother. He could tell me what really happened to her . . . I find myself torn. I would like to talk to Max, but I know he is a murderer and he needs to go to prison for what he did, so I wish he would stay away. It is very confusing."

His arm around her shoulders, Booth leaned his head against her head. "Yeah, but we don't have control over what Max does. The guy comes and goes as he pleases. He committed a serious crime, so I can see where you're confused. The whole situation with your father is a mess. We'll just have to wait and see if he's stupid enough to come back here again. He's already pushed his luck twice. He won't be lucky a third time."

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Max was feeling guilty about leaving his daughter behind again, but he was realistic enough to know that she couldn't have come with him when he fled with Russ. She worked with the FBI to solve murders which meant she wasn't about to follow in the Keenan footsteps. He and his wife had been good at what they did, but it had been dangerous work and he hadn't wanted his children to work outside the law. He had hoped they would both succeed in life and not have to jeopardize their freedom doing things that the law didn't approve of.

Russ had been a disappointment, but the boy was weak. Max had hoped he would be a leader, but he was actually a follower and he had followed the wrong people right into chop shops and auto theft. Tempe had surprised him and turned out to be a leader and she had found a profession that she could love and could excel in. He had known she was brilliant, but a forensic anthropologist? It made him so proud that she was such an important person in the scientific world and she had done it with no help from him or anyone else.

Once he got Russ settled in Coos Bay working in an auto shop for a friend of his, Max had returned to the DC area and tried to contact his daughter. Much to his annoyance, she had called her partner to try to get him arrested. He knew that she lived in a black and white world and since he was wanted for murder she felt the need for him to be arrested. It limited his ability to talk to Temperance, but he decided to keep an eye on the situation. He hoped that by helping rescue Booth, he might have earned some Brownie points with his daughter, but he wasn't counting on it. He'd find a way to talk to her, he just needed to be patient.

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"I'm glad you could come by." Gordon Wyatt stood by his desk and pointed at the chair across from the small couch. "Please be seated."

Annoyed, Booth stood next to the chair and decided to be blunt. "I was ordered to come see you by my boss. What do you want this time?"

Ignoring the agent's anger, Gordon sat down on the couch and looked at the agent. "You were recently kidnapped and tortured, Agent Booth. I merely want to talk to you and see how you're doing?"

Since he couldn't stop the interview, Booth sat down facing the psychologist. "I'm fine. Those two idiots didn't know what the hell they were doing."

"They beat you, slapped you, kicked you breaking some ribs and they used a hot screwdriver on your leg." Gordon wasn't sure if the agent was using bravado or not, but torture was torture. "You were tortured Agent Booth."

"Let me explain what torture is, Doc." Booth removed his dice from his pants pocket and held them in his hand. "Torture is tying someone to a chair and beating the shit out of that someone until they pass out, then pouring water on them to force them awake and then starting the process again. It's dumping the person in the chair on his back, removing his shoes and beating the soles of his feet with a rubber hose breaking a bunch of bones in the guy's feet. It's breaking the guy's leg with a steel rod because he still won't tell you what you want to know. It's dumping him into a cell without water and medical aide and letting him suffer in the dark . . . that's torture, Doc. Those two clowns were just annoying."

As he sat quietly thinking about what the agent had said, Gordon realized that Booth's perspective probably had merit. "They did break your ribs."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth moved the dice in his hand using them as way to focus his thoughts. "I've had broken ribs before . . . Listen Doc, what Melvin Gallagher and his stooge did to me wasn't great and it did hurt, I'll admit that, but it doesn't rank in the top ten for the awful things that have happened to me in my life. I'm not having dreams about it and the only time I think about it is when I do something and my ribs say I shouldn't. Once my ribs are healed I won't think about those clowns at all."

"I see." Gordon continued to stare at the Agent and knew that Booth was probably being truthful about the situation. "You were victimized by your father as a child and you were a POW during the Iraq War. I suppose you do have a different perspective than say someone that had never gone through those things . . . How is Dr. Brennan doing? She was the one who rescued you."

The topic had changed and Booth placed his dice in his pants pocket. "She's doing pretty good . . . great even. I knew she'd rescue me, it was just a matter of time. I knew that if I kept my mouth shut and I didn't tell Gallagher anything about Kennedy, Bones would get to me in time and she did."

"You have a lot of faith in Dr. Brennan." Gordon found the agent fascinating. Booth was a seasoned soldier who had done things his country had asked him to do that was still a secret locked away in his Army records. Very few people knew what Booth had done in the past for the government, but it marked the agent as someone to be taken seriously, someone not to be under estimated and someone the Army and the FBI valued. Gordon found the man's personnel file to be fascinating because of the things it didn't say as well as what it did say.

His confidence in his partner had strengthened over the years and he knew that she was someone that he needed on his side. "She's a genius. I knew she'd figure out where I was." And if she hadn't, he probably would have died, but he had trusted her to save him and she had. "I've seen her solve cases using just a few old bone bits and some hair. She's my partner and I knew she wouldn't give up looking for me. Not Bones."

"And if she hadn't found you?" Curious, Gordon watched Booth smile and shrug his shoulders.

"Then I'd be dead now, but Gallagher wouldn't have got the information he wanted." Pragmatically, Booth knew that someday he might get himself into a situation that no one could save him from, but for now, he wasn't going to worry about something that might not happen. "We all die, Doc. Some sooner that others." Glancing at his watch, Booth wondered how much more time he was going to have to waste. "Look, I'm not having any problems because of the kidnapping. I'm fine. Bones is fine. I have work to do and I can't do it sitting here."

Amused, Gordon smiled at the impatience being showed by the Agent. "Deputy Director Bishop asked me to talk to you and I have. You do seem to be alright and that is good Agent Booth. I will ask that you come to me if you do have any problems in the future."

Booth stood up. "You know, I've been shot, stabbed, beat with hoses and beat with a steel rod. Gallagher and Lightner think they're tough shit, but they're amateurs. Yeah, they hurt me, but it wasn't anything I couldn't take. Lightner is in the hospital because he fell on his screwdriver and Gallagher is in prison waiting trial. Those two don't worry me at all."

"Alright, I believe you." Gordon stood up and smiled. "But I am here if you need to talk to me about anything else. It doesn't have to be about this or about Dr. Brennan's shooting of Epps. If you want to talk about your childhood or about being a prisoner of war, I am here to listen."

Walking over to the door, Booth waved his hand. "That's the past, Doc. I live in the present."

Once Booth was gone, Gordon made a few notes in the agents file and emailed the Deputy Director about his interview with Booth. His agent appeared to be fine and was not having problems stemming from his kidnapping by Gallagher. He wished he could talk to Booth about some of his past experiences, but the man didn't want to cooperate and he couldn't force him to do it.

"Oh well, maybe someday."

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Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	39. Chapter 39

(Stargazer in a puddle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The drama around Angela and Hodgins was getting ridiculous as far as Booth was concerned. Hodgins had asked Angela to marry him a couple of times, but she had turned him down. It's not that she objected to marriage, she just didn't feel like she should answer yes just because Hodgins had asked her. Apparently he hadn't done it right. Then he tells her he's not going to ask her to marry him and she says she wants to marry him. _Thank God she's not my girlfriend. She's too confusing and way to contrary. Give me a woman that knows what she wants anytime._ "So, I guess Angela is going to get married to Hodgins."

As they moved towards the crime scene, Brennan wondered why Booth was bringing that up. "Yes, I know. She told me yesterday."

Her response had been abrupt and Booth was wondering if Brennan was mad at him. "I'm not going to ask you to marry me, Bones. You made it clear you don't believe in marriage. I believe you."

Relieved to hear that, Brennan stopped and faced Booth. "I love you Booth, but I don't believe in an antiquated ritual like marriage. I'm glad you understand that."

Although he understood it, that didn't mean it he agreed with her. "It's not antiquated to me." He saw the look of disappointment on her face and knew that this conversation was pointless. "Hey, they're getting married not us and I'm fine with that . . . We're here to see about a body." He moved away from Brennan towards the crime scene. He had made a promise to himself and he would keep it. Under no circumstance would he try to change Brennan and force her to do something that she didn't want to do. He knew that she had a lot of trust issues because of her father and mother abandoning her and he would not be the one to betray her. He loved her and he would take her on her terms.

As she walked beside Booth, she knew that her mate was making a concession by not asking her to marry him. He was a religious man and he wasn't allowed to take confession because his church considered him to be living in sin. She wished she could throw aside her beliefs for him, but she couldn't do it. She loved him, but marriage would be a betrayal of her own belief system. "Angela wants to get married right away. She doesn't want to wait."

"Of course, it's Angela." Once more, Booth thanked God that Angela was not his girlfriend.

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A knock on the door frame of his office broke into Booth's thoughts. "Yeah, what do you need Sully?" He hadn't seen a lot of his friend lately and he was wondering why.

"Hey, I thought I'd come by and let you know that I'm finally doing it. I'm leaving the Bureau." Sully's life had been in flux ever since his partner had been killed the previous year. He'd always been looking for the next best thing and he had thought the FBI would be his final job, but he had grown sick of murder and death and he wanted out.

Not really surprised, Booth waved his friend into his office. "So, you're doing it?" He hated to see his friend leave the FBI, but the man had been a mess ever since his partner had been killed and Booth had known it would just be a matter of time before Sully found an excuse to leave.

"Yeah, I'm buying a boat and I'm going to open up a tour guide business in the Caribbean." Sully had been contemplating different options for a few months now and he finally worked up the nerve to make the change he needed in his life.

"Well, I'm sorry to see you go, but you have to do what's best for you." Booth just hoped Sully didn't regret his decision.

Standing in front of Booth's desk, Sully looked at the pictures on the wall and the credenza and noticed a new picture of Temperance Brennan. "Yeah, I do . . . I'm glad that you and Dr. Brennan are together. I think you two suit each other. You both like to solve crimes and you're determined to catch criminals. I just hope it's enough for you. Being surrounded by death all the time can change you and not always for the better . . . If you ever feel like you need to make a change, do it. Don't let someone talk you out of it."

"Bones and I are doing what we like Sully. We do it well." Booth always thought Sully's moving from one job to another as a sign that the man didn't have any passion for anything. If you don't care about anything then you can't put your soul into it. You can't love what you do. "I know you can't see it, but we'll be fine."

"Sure." Sully felt sorry for Booth. The man couldn't free his mind and see the possibilities out there. Well, someone had to work at the FBI. It just wasn't going to be him. "Well, I just wanted to let you know. My last day is the end of this week. I don't want a party. I'm just saying good-bye to my friends. It's been nice knowing you, Booth."

Booth stood up and shook his friend's hand. "Hey, if you're ever back in this neck of the woods, you come and see me . . . keep in touch. Call me or text me sometimes. Let me know you're okay."

"I will." Sully released Booth's hand, turned and left.

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Max had heard about two of Brennan's co-workers getting engaged and decided to use that as an excuse to come back into his daughter's life. He had debated the pros and cons for a long time and finally decided that he was tired of running away from everyone. He had been on the run from law enforcement and from a brutal gang for over fifteen years and what had it cost him? His wife was dead, his children had grown up without him and he had no connection to his daughter.

She had always been special and he and his wife had worried about Temperance's future and when they had led McVicar away from their children they knew they were gambling with Russ and Temperance's future. Both had hoped that Russ would finish raising his sister, but to Max's horror he found out much later that his son had abandoned his sister to the state of Illinois. He had cried when had found that out, but that had solved nothing. By then his daughter was in college and she seemed to be doing alright. She had multiple scholarships and she was using them to her advantage. He knew that Foster Care must have been a shock to his daughter, but since she was in college and doing well, he hoped that was a sign that she had been treated well.

When he had brought Russ back with him to Coos Bay, they'd had a long talk and Max found out that Temperance had suffered in Foster Care. She'd told Russ that she had almost died in the care of one family and Max's hopes that his daughter had fared well in Foster Care had been destroyed. The guilt he felt about abandoning Temperance was almost overwhelming and now he had to do something to show his daughter that he loved her and wanted to be in her life. He wanted her to know that he was sorry that he had left her behind when she was young.

Using the impending wedding of his daughter's co-workers as an excuse, Max had showed up in Brennan's office when Booth was there and was arrested by her daughter's boyfriend. He had expected it and was prepared. Assuring his daughter as he was being arrested, Max had smiled and tried to keep in good cheer. "It's okay, Honey. Booth is doing his job. Let's let him do it." He had been gratified to see his daughter upset as the handcuffs were placed on his wrists and he felt that it was possible that she still loved him. Max was also grateful that Booth had been the one to arrest him. He knew that Booth would treat him humanely in front of Temperance and that was all he could ask for.

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The evening sun had set and Brennan was sitting in her living room staring at the cold fireplace. Her father was at the Hoover being processed by her partner and she was helpless to stop it. She was torn about the situation. Max had murdered at least two men and he needed to answer for that, but he had helped her save Booth's life and that meant there was some good in him, didn't it? She wasn't sure how she was supposed to feel about her father. His life was such a contradiction.

He had abandoned her when she was a child and she had suffered at the hands of strangers because of it, but he claimed he had done it to protect them. Booth felt that was true, but did that mitigate what Max and her mother had done to her? They never attempted to contact her after they fled Chicago and even after her mother had died, her father had stayed away. He had left her behind without a thought about what was happening to her or to Russ.

He was a conman, a bank robber and a murderer. How did she reconcile those facts with the fact that he was her father? Did she love him? She didn't know if love was real, but since she had committed to Booth in a relationship, she felt that love might not be all hormones and brain chemicals. She used the word love sometimes and tried to assure Booth that his affections weren't one sided and it did no harm to call what she had with her lover love.

Perhaps what she felt was loyalty to the man that had helped to create her. Was that it? Was she still loyal to her father because of a familial connection? It was all so confusing and she didn't know how to resolve her conflict.

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The first thing Booth noticed when he entered their home was the fact that there were no lights on in the house. That worried him. Brennan's car was in the driveway, so she should be home. With visions of Epps dead on the laundry room floor, he drew his gun as he entered the living room and scanned the room. Although it was dark, he could see someone was sitting on the couch. "Bones . . . Bones are you alright?"

Startled, Brennan reached for the switch on the lamp on the end table and turned the lamp on. "I'm fine." She noticed the gun in his hand and knew that she had worried him. "You can put your gun away. No one is here but me."

Both relieved and concerned, Booth holstered his gun and walked over to where his partner was sitting. "Bones, why were you sitting in the dark? Are you sure you're alright?"

Patting the cushion next to her, Brennan nodded her head as Booth sat down beside her. "I'm just confused. Max is a murderer and a bank robber, he abandoned me when I was a child without a backward glance, but I don't want him to die, Booth. If he is tried and found guilty of murder, he could face the death penalty and since one of his victims was a deputy director of the FBI, I'm sure the prosecutor will be seeking the death penalty. I hate him, Booth, but I love him too. I think I love him . . . I don't know how I'm supposed to feel about this."

The lost look on Brennan's face broke Booth's heart. He knew that Brennan was struggling with what was going on and he needed to try to help her. "Hey . . . Hey, he's your father and I know this is a mess and it's okay to be worried and upset. Yeah, he abandoned you when you were a kid and that gives you a right to hate the guy, but he came back to save you and Russ from Kirby and he helped you to save my life from Gallagher. I think he loves you and he wants to do what's right for you, but he doesn't know how to do it, so he let himself be arrested to try to connect with you. He wants to be your father again. It's the only thing that makes sense."

"It's all so confusing, Booth." Brennan leaned against her partner. Her connection with her lover was strong and his presence helped to calm her worries, at least a little bit. "What if he's found guilty and the state decides to execute him? I don't really know him and if they kill him then I'll never be able to see him again. He'll be gone and he won't be able to come back."

"Yeah, that's a possibility, but Bones, while he's here you still have a chance to talk to him and to get to know him. You can go visit him in jail and talk to him there." Booth's phone rang and he answered it. "Booth." The call was short and to the point. Once he was off the phone, he placed it on the coffee table. "Caroline let Max go for now. We can't prove that Max is Max. Kirby must have erased all of Max's records from the FBI database and I guess he destroyed his files we had in the records room. He had access and the ability and he's the only one that would have had a reason to do it. We'll have to contact the state police in Ohio and see if they still have his records."

It was ludicrous. "So, Kirby may have allowed his murderer to walk free?"

"Yeah. Now that's ironic. Kirby was so busy trying to erase Max from the world so that he could kill him that he never considered this scenario." Booth shook his head. "If the Ohio State Police can't prove that Max is Max then he gets to walk away from Kirby and Delaney's murder."

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	40. Chapter 40

("Stargazer in a Puddle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooooo

Max wasn't sure how long he was going to get away with being Arthur McGregor, but he intended to use that time to his advantage. The fact that the FBI couldn't prove that he was Max Keenan was bizarre to him, but something happened to his criminal records and they couldn't connect him to Max Keenan. He had always distrusted computers and this was just one more example of why computers shouldn't be relied upon for anything, even if it was to his advantage at this time

Once he was out of FBI custody, Max waited until the next evening, drove over to his daughter's house and sat in his car on the street in front of her home debating his next move. Booth's truck wasn't in the driveway, so he assumed that the agent wasn't home. If he was going to do what had to be done, he had to do it now.

Standing on the front porch, he waited a few seconds to prepare himself and knocked on the door. After a few short moments, Brennan opened the door and frowned at her unexpected guest. "Why are you here?"

"May I come in?" He hoped that his daughter would talk to him, but if she didn't, he would find another way to talk to her.

She wanted to tell him to go away, but he was her father and she couldn't bring herself to do it. "I suppose." Brennan stepped back and allowed her father to enter the house. Once he was in, she pointed towards the kitchen and closed the door. "I'm preparing dinner, so if you wish to talk to me you will have to do it while I prepare my food."

Her voice wasn't warm or welcoming, but he had expected that. "Honey, I brought you something." He fished in his jacket pocket and removed a small cloth bag as he followed his daughter into the kitchen. When she turned around, he held out the little bag. "It belonged to your grandmother."

"I had a grandmother?" Brennan was confused. In the past her parents had told that there were no other relatives in the family.

"I know your mother and I told you that, but Honey we were hiding at the time under assumed names." He placed the little bag into her outstretched hand. "We did that to protect us and what little family we had left."

She opened the bag and found a ring. Once it was out of the bag, she studied it and found that the old-fashioned look of the ring was charming. "Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Surprised at the invitation, Max smiled. "Thank you, Honey. Do you think Booth will be okay with that? I don't want to cause you any trouble."

"You should have thought of that before you left a big pool of blood on our living room floor." Brennan placed the ring in her pocket, turned to check on her meal cooking in the oven. "If you wish to stay for dinner then you may stay." She wasn't sure how Booth was going to react, but she would deal with him when she had to.

"Thanks and um . . . sorry about the blood. I didn't have time to do anything about that." Max didn't say anything else. He didn't really want to give his daughter any ammunition in case he went to trial for Kirby's murder. "Can I help set the table or something?"

Pausing for a moment, Brennan pointed at a nearby cabinet. "Plates are there." She pointed at a drawer. "Flatware is there. We can eat at the kitchen table. Booth and I usually do."

Grateful that his daughter was talking to him, Max set the table while his daughter tore some greens to make a salad. It seemed like a homey moment, but he didn't want to kid himself. His daughter hadn't welcomed him with open arms and who could blame her?

Ooooooooooooooooo

The car parked in front of the house worried Booth. He didn't recognize the car and they hadn't planned on having visitors for dinner. Wary, he left his truck, walked over to the front door, opened it and slipped silently into the living room. Voices from the kitchen told him where Brennan and their visitor were. Stealthily, he moved across the room to the kitchen and paused in the doorway. "You're kidding." Max was sitting at the table watching Brennan remove something from the oven.

Expecting him home, Brennan placed the hot baking sheet on top of the granite counter top and turned to face her boyfriend. "I've invited Max to dine with us tonight."

"I'll go change my clothes." Booth walked down the hallway to the bedroom, entered the room and stripped off his shirt and suit. Rummaging in his dresser, he removed a pair of jeans and pulled them on then a t-shirt. Once he was dressed, he debated what to do with his gun and decided to place the holster and gun back in his belt and pulled the t-shirt down over it to cover it. Presentable, he left the room, re-entered the kitchen and found Brennan setting the table with her cooked meal. Grabbing the salad bowl, he carried it over to the table, retrieved a bottle each of ranch and Italian dressing from the fridge, walked back over to the table and sat down.

Not sure if Booth approved of what was going on, Brennan chose to assume that he didn't care and sat down at the table. "Angela called and let me know that we have the identity of the victim. She was Chelsea Cole the daughter of Cynthia Cole. I have Cynthia's address. We can go over to the mother's house this evening or we can wait until the morning."

"Alright." Booth filled his plate with baked chicken, roasted zucchini, salad and some baked Ziti. "We can go after we eat."

Max filled his plate while he studied Booth and his daughter. "You guys surprised me when you let me go."

"It's temporary." Booth was waiting go get a court order to get a DNA sample from Max to compare it against anything the Ohio State Police sent them. "You should have stayed away."

"I couldn't." Max could see that his daughter and her boyfriend weren't happy he was back, but he had a mission. "I came back because I wanted to give Tempe a ring that belonged to her grandmother. I promised Christine I would give it to her when I got the chance."

Booth glanced at Brennan and noticed that she was staring at her zucchini filled fork. "You could have mailed it."

"It's an old ring, handed down from oldest daughter to oldest daughter. I couldn't just mail it." Max kept his voice low and even. He was trying to do the right thing, but his daughter's silence was a little unnerving.

"You kept the knowledge that I had other family from me because we were hiding." Brennan stated it baldly. She felt betrayed.

Max knew that Brennan was trying to process what he had told her. "Your mother was the oldest of three sisters. If you want to meet them, I can tell you where they are and if you show them the ring, they'll know who you are." Max hoped he was doing the right thing.

"And your side?" Brennan wanted to know it all. "Do you have family that I'm not aware of?"

Max shook his head. "The only family I had was Christine, you and Russ." He had been alone since he was a teenager and he had been fine with that until he had met Ruth who later became Christine. She had shown him what a real family was and he had loved her so much.

"You abandoned me 15 years ago."

Quietly sitting next to Brennan, Booth decided not to interfere in the conversation. This was Brennan's chance to talk to her father and he wouldn't spoil it with questions of his own.

"I'll do whatever it takes to repair this." Max wanted to be a father again, but he wasn't sure if his daughter would ever forgive him for leaving her behind. "It's why I'm here . . . I have a videotape from your mother for you."

"What does she say?" Brennan was curious, but she wasn't sure she wanted to see a message from her dead mother. The mother who had abandoned her.

He could see that she was conflicted, but Max couldn't answer the question. "I don't know. I've never watched it."

Booth found that unlikely, but he didn't say anything. He was there to support Brennan not interfere. His phone rang and he answered it. "Booth." The call was quick and was over in a few short minutes. "Bones I need one of your DNA sampler kits."

"What's going on?" Brennan placed her fork down and stood up. "I need the keys to your truck to gain access to my kit."

Handing her the keys, Booth turned to stare at Max. "I have a warrant to collect DNA from Arthur McGregor from Coos Bay, Oregon."

Calmly, Max waited for his daughter to return and complied with her request to open his mouth to allow her to swab the inside of his mouth. That done, he continued to eat. "This chicken is really good."

Since there was nothing they could do with the kit for now, Booth and Brennan returned to their meal. They all ate in silence as the vial of saliva sat on the table in front of Brennan. Once the meal was complete, Max left after promising to get the video to her.

Alone, Brennan and Booth cleared that table and carried dishes and bowls to the dishwasher. "Bones, we don't have anything to compare his DNA to right now. I need it just in case the Ohio State Police find something."

"I understand." Brennan loaded the dishwasher while Booth placed the leftovers in the fridge. "If you're able to prove he's Max Keenan you will arrest him."

"Yes, it's my job." Booth returned the salad dressing to the fridge then wiped down the kitchen table. "He could have stayed away, Bones. He's trying to be make up for leaving you behind."

Closing the dishwasher, Brennan washed her hands and turned to face her lover. "I don't know if that's possible . . . I'm ready to go see Cynthia Cole if you're ready."

Booth placed the towel on the counter near the sink. "Let's go . . . you can tell me what you know about Cynthia Cole in the truck."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

The next day, Booth got a surprise visit from Hodgins in his office. "Will you be my best man this Saturday?"

"Sure, but that doesn't leave me a lot of time to set up a bachelor party." Booth worried that it might be impossible to get it together that quickly.

"No, no, I don't want a bachelor party." Hodgins was adamant. He really didn't like the idea of a bachelor party.

A little confused, Booth tried to figure out what Hodgins wanted from him. "What am I supposed to do if you don't want a party?"

"Oh that's easy. Stand there, make a toast, hand over the ring, tongue kiss the maid of honor at the reception when people clink glasses."

Annoyed, Booth interrupted the groom. "I don't think Bones would like it if I did that and I know I wouldn't like it either. I'm not going to screw up what I have with Bones by doing something inappropriate and that's a fact."

Amused, Hodgins clapped Booth's shoulder, saw the glare on the Agent's face and stepped back. "Not a problem. Brennan is the maid of honor."

"Oh well, in that case, yeah, I can do that." Booth thought about Brennan's kisses and felt a little warm. "Yeah, I can definitely do that."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

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	41. Chapter 41

(Stargazer in a Puddle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooo

The Ohio State Police came through and they provided the FBI with a bloody napkin that Max Keenan had used in a robbery of a Piggly Wiggly in 1978 to staunch a wound when a clerk hit him on the head with a baseball bat. Matching it to Arthur McGregor's DNA they now had proof that he was Max Keenan, wanted for the murder of Deputy Director Robert Kirby.

Max had worried that if the FBI proved he was who they thought he was that law enforcement would be gung-ho to bring him in and they might not do it as respectfully or as gently as Seeley Booth had done the first time. Since he didn't want to be gunned down in the streets, he had let Brennan know where he was staying and he assumed that his daughter would tell her boyfriend. That way if the FBI did find a way to prove he was Max Keenan then Booth would be the one to come after him. At least he hoped so.

Booth drove over to the hotel that Max was staying in and found him in the parking lot coming back from dinner. "Max Keenan, you're under arrest for the murder of FBI Deputy Director Robert Kirby."

Unsurprised at the appearance of Booth, Max held his hands up in a placating manner. "Fine, fine sure you got me." At least it was Booth and not some ambitious kid trying to get a promotion and a name for himself at the FBI. "I'm not going to abandon my daughter again."

Surprised, Booth had thought that Max would put up some kind of fight. "You're not going to resist?"

"Must be your lucky day." He smiled at the Agent and then started to worry about what he was doing. Could he just give up? Could he just go gentle into the good night? Somehow that just seemed wrong. "No . . . no, I can't do it. I can't just give up. It's not in my nature."

Confused, Booth pointed his gun at Brennan's father. "Not in your nature? Are you kidding me? I have a gun."

"You're going to have to shoot me." Max stood up straight and tried to put on a brave face. "Shoot me in the leg, if you don't mind. I can take it."

"What the hell is wrong with you, Max? I can't just shoot you." The situation was getting out of hand as far as Booth was concerned. Placing his gun back in its holster, he placed it on the hood of a nearby car and approached Max. "I'm not going to shoot you, but you are under arrest."

Surprised that Booth was giving him a chance, Max smiled and held up his fists. "This is good. Thank you." Surprisingly, Booth threw the first punch. He forgot that Booth wasn't a Boy Scout but had been a member of the United States Army Rangers at one time and you didn't screw with them. His hand on his cheek, Max shook his head. "Hey that's good, Kid." He knew that Booth thought he was going to give up at that point, but he wasn't ready and he hit Booth in the jaw which caused the agent to step back. "Ha, what's the matter? Got a glass jaw?"

 _What the fuck am I doing?_ Booth stepped forward and punched the older man in the stomach and then the face again. Max staggered back, fell to one knee and Booth thought the man was done. "Had enough?"

Kneeling on the ground, Max felt like he had given it his best shot when he decided he had one more punch to give. Once Booth was closer, he threw his fist forward and it landed in Booth's groin. The Agent folded onto the parking lot, curled up into a ball. "Okay Booth, I'm done, it's over, I'm finished." He watched the agent groan while holding his hands over his groin and decided that might have been one punch he should have held back. "You okay?"

"Fuck no, I'm not okay." Booth gritted his teeth and finally stood up. "Max, you're damn lucky I don't shoot you right now." Grabbing his cuffs from his back pocket, he cuffed the older man. Once he had his gun back on his belt, Booth grabbed Max's arm and pulled him towards his SUV. Once the wanted man was in the truck, Booth leaned over with his hands on his knees and took in some deep breaths. _Stupid son of a bitch._ He wasn't sure if he meant Max or himself or both.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Sitting in the tub filled with hot steamy water, Booth tried to relax. Being hit in the groin wasn't a picnic, but he'd had worse done to him. What was galling was the fact that Max had sucker punched him. He shouldn't have trusted the old man even if he was down. He knew he'd never make that mistake again.

Not sure where Booth was, Brennan searched the house for her boyfriend when she arrived home and found him in the bathroom. "Did you arrest Max?"

"Yeah. He's over at the Hoover right now." The hot water felt good, but he leaned forward and pulled the lever to let the water out. "I found him at the parking lot of the hotel where he was staying. After I left Max at the Hoover, I drove back to the hotel, packed his clothes and brought them back here." The water draining quickly, he placed his hands on the tub rim and stood up. Grabbing a towel, he dried off.

As her partner had stepped out of the tub, Brennan noticed a purple bruise on his upper groin area. "Why are you bruised?" Considering where the bruise was, she was certain it must be painful.

"Your old man didn't want to come peacefully . . . He actually wanted me to shoot him in the leg. Do you believe that shit?" Still angry with Brennan's father, Booth wrapped the towel around his waist. "I couldn't shoot an unarmed man. When I placed my gun back in the holster, Max held up his fists daring me to fight him . . . We traded a few punches and when he was down on his knee, I stepped forward to cuff him and he punched me in the groin, the bastard."

Shocked, Brennan shook her head. "He's older than you are. He couldn't have thought he'd be able to beat you in a fair fight."

"Ha! What fair fight?" Booth walked into the bedroom and grabbed a pair of boxers lying on their bed. "Punching a guy there is not fair fighting." Dropping his towel, he stepped into his boxers, grabbed the t-shirt lying on the bed and pulled it on. "Anyway, he's over at the Hoover being processed."

"Thank you for not shooting Max." Brennan didn't know why Max was the way he was but asking Booth to shoot him seemed irrational. Thankfully, Booth was a rational man and completely professional.

Sitting on the bed, Booth reached out and took her hand in his hand. "You're welcome . . . You can go see him tomorrow if you want to. He's going to need a good lawyer, so you might see if we need to hire one for him." He knew that until Max was tried, the next few months were going to be hard on Brennan. Chances were, Max was going to be found guilty of first-degree murder of a Federal Agent and he could get the death penalty.

"Yes, I'll go see him tomorrow morning." Brennan sat down next to Booth. "Don't forget we have to go to Angela and Hodgin's wedding tomorrow afternoon."

"I won't." Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry your father is in jail, Bones, but it has to be this way. He killed Kirby and he has to answer for it even though Kirby was a traitor to the FBI and his country. Maybe his lawyer can use that during the trial, but it won't negate the fact that Max killed a man."

Confused about how she should feel, Brennan leaned against her boyfriend, "He's my father, but he's a murderer. He killed two men that we know of . . . should I be sad that he's in jail? I mean, he is my father, but he's a bank robber who killed people and . . . and he got my mother killed. I don't feel sad that he's in jail. I feel . . . I guess I don't know what I feel."

"Bones, this whole thing is a mess, but Max is your father and you have a right to be upset that he's in jail." He knew that Brennan had a hard time processing her feelings sometimes. Not because she was cold and unfeeling, but because she felt things deeply and for years, she had been forced to hide those feelings from everyone around her. Foster Care made her wary of people's motives and she found it hard to trust anyone. She had been punished more than once by foster parents that had no compassion for a frightened teenager who didn't understand how the world really worked. "Max brought this stuff on his own head, Bones. You didn't do anything wrong and neither did I. You go see him when you can and talk to him. Ask questions, if you have any. I know you want to know how your mother died. He can tell you what you want to know . . . And Bones, if you want to be angry with him, then be angry. You have a right to be just like you have a right to be sad that your father is in jail. You can be both. It's a bad situation and there aren't any rules for situations like this. None at all."

Her arm around Booth's waist, Brennan sighed. "I will go talk to him." Her partner made her feel better. She wasn't sure if she was angry or sad or both, but she knew that Booth was there to help her through these confusing times. "Why don't you lie down while I go fix us a salad for dinner. I think we should go to bed early and rest. I imagine the wedding will be hectic tomorrow."

"Yeah, considering it's Angela and Hodgins . . . yeah, I think it's going to be hectic too."

Ooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thanks.


	42. Chapter 42

(Stargazer in a Puddle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it. It's the only way I can tell if anyone is still interested.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Uncertain that she was doing the right thing, Brennan waited in the visiting room for her father to appear. She wasn't sure what she wanted to say to the man, but she did have a few questions that she wanted answers to. She just wasn't sure if she could trust the answers that he would give her.

Surprised that his daughter was there to see him, Max entered the room with a hopeful smile on his face. "Honey, thank you for coming to see me."

Her emotions under as much control as she could manage, Brennan waited for her father to sit down. "Booth said I should visit you. He thought you might be able to answer a few questions for me."

He was growing to appreciate his daughter's boyfriend the more he came in contact with him and the more he heard about him. "Tell Booth I'm sorry I punched him where I punched him. I shouldn't have done that, but . . . well, I'm not the kind of man to give up."

Ignoring Max's apology, Brennan placed her hands on her lap and shook her head. "How did my mother die?" That question was very important to her. "McVicar said you killed her when he and Mom tried to run away together."

Instantly filled with anger, Max's face became a mask of rage. "Never . . . Christine would have never cheated on me and run away with someone else, especially someone as sadistic and cruel as McVicar . . . When we ran from Chicago it was to get away from McVicar. We wanted to place as much distance between him and you kids as we could. He followed us and caught up with us in Pennsylvania. We were at a rest stop and we didn't notice he was there. It was late at night. He came up behind us, entered our car in the back seat and placed a bolt gun next to your mother's head. I grabbed her and pulled her away, but McVicar shot the bolt and it hit her. I moved to the back seat as quickly as I could and beat the shit out of the man. I grabbed his bolt gun and hit him on the head with it and then I pulled him out of our car and I drove off . . . your Mom said she felt the bolt hit her, but it didn't hit her hard or at least she didn't think so. She had a headache and I wanted to take her to the hospital, but she said she didn't need one. I should have done it anyway . . . When we got to New Jersey we abandoned the car and I stole another one and we headed for New York State. We moved around a lot for the next two years, but your mother was sick. She had a lot of headaches and I begged her to see a doctor and she finally did. He examined Christine and he said she was suffering from migraines and he gave her some medicine to try to control the pain. We told him about her being hit in the head, but he said the x-ray didn't show anything . . . The headaches got worse and then one day she started crying and she said her head hurt and I was going to take her to the hospital, but she died. She closed her eyes and she died right in front of me." Tears fell down his cheeks and he was unable to continue. The thought of his wife dying in such horrible pain still made him sick when he thought about it.

Her throat tight with emotion, Brennan stood up, left the room, made her way outside the prison to her car and once she was alone, she cried. She cried for quite a while, but afterwards she felt a sense of relief. She now knew how her mother had died and she knew that Christine Brennan had been murdered by McVicar. Booth and Russ had been right. Her father had not murdered her mother.

Oooooooooooooooooo

While Booth was dressing to go to the Hodgins/Montenegro wedding, Brennan rummaged through the luggage Booth had brought back from Max's hotel room and found the video that her father had mentioned. Checking her watch, she noticed that she didn't have time to watch it and left to dress for the wedding.

"How'd the visit with your father go?" Booth was attempting to place the cuff links in the cuff button holes of his shirt, when Brennan took them from him and put them in place for him. "He told me how my mother died." She didn't want to talk about that at the moment. "I need to hurry and dress. We need to get to the church by three."

Checking his tie while Brennan entered the bathroom to get a shower, Booth checked to make sure the bow tie was straight. "We have time. Don't worry." Carrying his jacket out into the living room, he saw a video cassette lying on the table and noticed the label read 'Christine Brennan to Tempe'. While waiting for Brennan to finish getting ready, he turned on the TV and watched some sports news. He was tempted to look at the video, but he knew it wasn't his and he had no right to see it before Brennan.

Soon Brennan came out into the living room carrying her purse. "I'm ready." Walking over to the coffee table, she picked up the video and stared at the label. "I'm going to watch my mother's video tonight."

"I know you probably want to watch it alone, so I'll work on my Mustang." Pulling on his jacket, he made sure his wallet and keys were in his pockets.

"No, that's not necessary. If you want to see it you can." Brennan didn't want to keep secrets from her partner. The video might be personal, but Booth was sharing her life and he deserved to be part of her past not just her present.

He appreciated the offer, but Booth thought that was a bad idea. "I'll watch it with you if you want me to, but I really think you should watch it by yourself the first time. This is your Mom we're talking about. She's been dead since you were 17 and you haven't seen her since you were 15. You deserve to be able to watch it alone. It's alright."

It was logical and the offer was done with sincerity. "Thank you. If you wish to watch afterward then you may."

Glancing at his watch, Booth started to move towards the door. "Come on, we need to go if we're going at all."

"Alright . . . Angela put this wedding together very fast. I hope it turns out the way she wanted it to."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

"Well, that wedding turned out like I thought it would." Booth removed his tie and placed it in his jacket pocket. "I rented this tuxedo for no reason at all. The next time they get married they can count me out."

As she stepped out of her shoes and leaned over to pick them up, Brennan found Booth's statement to be odd. "You expected the wedding to be cancelled at the last minute? What made you think that would happen? Did you know about Angela's husband?"

Moving over to their bar, Booth poured himself a glass of Scotch. "No. I didn't know what to expect. I didn't expect the wedding to be called off, but I knew that something weird was going to happen. I just felt it in my gut. I mean we are talking about Angela and Hodgins."

Since she doubted his gut told him anything, Brennan rolled her eyes and walked down the hallway to their bedroom. Joining her, Booth quickly undressed and found a pair of old jeans and a comfortable t-shirt to replace them. "At least the reception was nice."

"Yes, I was pleased that there were vegetarian dishes being offered." Brennan removed her dress, hung it up in the closet and slipped on a robe. "I'm going to watch my mother's video now. You may watch it with me if you want to."

"Thanks for the offer, but I really think you need the privacy." Booth kissed her and waited to follow her down the hallway. "I'm going to be in the garage, so if you need me, you'll know where to find me." Booth hoped that the video didn't make Brennan too sad. She'd had enough lately dealing with her father and brother.

Alone in the living room, Brennan placed the video in the VCR, sat on the couch and began the video. She thought she was prepared to see her mother, but the minute Christine Brennan appeared on the screen she began to weep. Her mother looked just the way she remembered her to be. Christine was sitting on a bench in what looked like a park and was wearing casual clothes. She looked pale and there were shadows under her eyes, but she seemed happy. Brennan knew that her mother had been suffering from a blow to the head at the time and she could see that her mother wasn't well.

Christine began talking: _Today is your 16th birthday. I'm so sorry not to be there to tell you all the things that a mother should tell her daughter when she turns 16. And sorry not to give you this. It's an heirloom from my side of the family. And starting today, it's yours. I don't know how long it will take me to get it to you, but I promise you I will._

She talked about Max being a good man and how he had wanted to take their kids with them when they ran, but she had thought it was too dangerous. She also talked about forgiveness. She hoped that Brennan would forgive her for leaving her behind, but if she couldn't she hoped that Brennan would forgive her father.

 _You were cherished in this world, adored. What I did to you may have been wrong, but I did it out of love. I did it out of love._

Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth was leaning on the hood of his car staring at the door leading to the house when it opened and he saw his partner enter the room. Her face was tear stained and he immediately moved over to where she was standing. Enfolding her in his embrace, he held her close. "I'm sorry, Bones. I'm sorry."

She closed her eyes and held her arms around her lover. She needed comfort and she had known that she could rely on him to give it to her. Brennan didn't talk. She just listened to Booth talking to her, assuring her that everything would be alright, that she wasn't alone and that he loved her.

"I love you, Bones." He had been worried that the video would be too much of an emotional time bomb and he had been right. "I love you."

Grateful to have someone in her life who cared about her, Brennan finally opened her eyes and stepped out of his embrace. "I love you too, Booth." She'd had her doubts that love was real for a long time, but living with Booth, a kind and generous man who loved her so much, Brennan had come to trust that love was real and that it wasn't fleeting or temporary. He proved to her everyday that love was real and she was so happy to be in a relationship with him. "I love you too."

Ooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	43. Chapter 43

(After 'Stargazer in a puddle')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

He hadn't seen his daughter for a month, so he was surprised when she came to see him. "Hi Honey." Using caution, he didn't say anything else.

For a man in prison, Max Keenan didn't look like he was suffering very much. "I saw Mom's tape." For the last month, Brennan had used the time to quietly mourn her mother's death. Until now, she had not allowed herself to think about her mother other than someone who had abandoned her and someone who had been murdered and needed justice.

True she had shed tears when she had found her mother's bones at the Jeffersonian, but she had not actually mourned her death until now. Those first tears had been spilled because her mother's death had finally been confirmed. She had assumed that her parents were dead since that fateful day when they didn't come back from Christmas shopping. The discovery of her mother's bones had been a shock and a relief. She had finally had proof that her mother was dead. Now that she had seen the video of her mother, she knew that Christine Brennan had thought of her daughter as she was dying and she had wanted to tell her that she had been loved. _You were cherished in this world, adored. What I did to you may have been wrong, but I did it out of love. I did it out of love._

 _"_ I'm glad." Max could see that his daughter had lost a little weight in the last month and he was certain that he was the cause. "She loved you so much . . . You and Russ. She cried a lot when we ran away from home. She knew we had to leave you behind to protect you from McVicar, but she cried so much and so did I. It was a terrible thing to do to you, but we thought Russ could handle the situation. I'm sorry that he didn't."

Brennan studied her father for a few moments before she spoke. "At anytime you could have called my mother's family and asked them to take me in. You could have made a phone call and found out that Russ had abandoned me too. You ran away from McVicar and you ran away from me. An old ring doesn't make up for what you and Mom did. You have to know that."

Clearly his daughter was angry and he wasn't sure how to respond. "Russ was 19 and a man. We thought he would take care of you Tempe. We assumed a lot and I'm sorry . . . I couldn't call your mother's sisters. Christine had been a favorite of those girls, but they hated me and I'm not sure they would have done anything about your situation. Your mother didn't think they would. After she died, I thought about calling them, but I knew they would have hung up the phone once they knew it was me. They don't even know you exist since your mother hadn't talked to her sisters since we eloped. Her family hated me and your mother chose me over them . . . I should have called Russ to see how things were going, but that would have endangered you and him. Don't forget the FBI was looking for me and your mother. We just couldn't risk your safety."

"You risked my safety by counting on Russ to take care of me." Brennan had forgiven her brother for what he had done, but she wasn't willing to forgive her parents. "He abandoned me just like you did, but he was 19 years old and he didn't know what to do with me . . . He was still a teenager. He abandoned me and I ended up in Foster Care where I was abused, neglected and almost killed . . . yes, I was almost killed by one of the families that was supposed to take care of me." She had seen Max grow pale. "You didn't do me any favors by leaving me behind."

"I'm sorry." Max didn't know what else to say. He couldn't undo the past. "I'm very sorry."

Unimpressed, Brennan stood up. "So am I." Moving over to the door, Brennan paused and looked back. "You should have stayed in Coos Bay, Max. You shouldn't have come back."

"I had to, Tempe." Max stood up and leaned on the table. "I couldn't abandon you again and you deserved to hear the message from your mother."

She didn't have anything else to say and left the room.

 _Oooooooooooooooooo_

The case was an odd one and that was why it had been thrown at Booth's team. A body had been found buried in a coffin in the yard of an abandoned elementary school. The school had been torn down to make room for a new housing division. The contractor had started excavating and one of his workmen had hit a coffin about four feet down in the ground. The contractor was worried that the school might have been sitting on an old cemetery, but there was no record of a cemetery or a church once occupying the land. The Sheriff's department had been contacted and after the coffin had been dug up, the local coroner had determined that the body had been in the ground for about six months. Dr. Swan had tried to identify the body of the young woman, but he had been unsuccessful and requested help from the Jeffersonian.

"The woman smothered to death." Cam had examined the body and she had come to the conclusion that the victim had been buried alive. "I see two marks on her neck that might have been caused by a taser . . . Could this be a victim of the Gravedigger?"

Hodgins had collected and analyzed the coffin, the silk in the coffin, the clothes and shoes on the victim and felt that Cam was probably right. "She tried to claw her way out of the coffin. She was terrified that was for sure . . . she kicked the coffin, but she didn't have enough room to do any real damage. Poor kid."

Helping with the examination, Brennan held the fingers of the victim's right hand in her hand. "She tore her fingernails trying to break the wood above her. She broke some the bones in her hands and her feet trying to free herself . . . She was buried alive. I think it's possible that this is a victim of the Gravedigger." It made her feel sick. She and Hodgins had narrowly escaped their grave when the Gravedigger had buried them in her car, but this poor young woman had died alone and had suffered sheer terror before death had come. "I would estimate that she was between the ages of sixteen and eighteen when she died. She's of Asian ancestry."

Already hating the case, Cam touched the young woman's cheek. "You can see there is dirt on her face except where these lines are on her cheeks. She cried. I think we need to let Booth know as soon as possible. The girl's family probably reported her missing to someone after they missed their deadline to pay."

"I wouldn't assume that." Brennan shook her head. "They may have paid and the kidnapper didn't want to reveal where the girl was for some unknown reason or they contacted the FBI right away and the Gravedigger refused to take payment or to reveal the burial site."

"Yes, of course." Standing straight, Cam removed her gloves, retrieved her phone from a nearby table and made the call. She hoped this case would lead them to the identity of the Gravedigger.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

Booth stood next to the examination table and made notes while Cam and Brennan explained what they had found while examining the victim. "God, she was terrified."

"I believe that's true." It made Cam feel sick knowing that the young woman had died the way she had died. "As soon as I finish the autopsy, I will turn the body over to Dr. Brennan who can continue the examination once the bones are clean. The body is badly decomposed, so it would be a good idea to examine the bones and not just the flesh."

Moving onto the platform, Angela held up her tablet. "I ran what we have through the missing person's database and came up with seven possibilities. Once you give me the facial markers, I should be able to do a facial reconstruction and pinpoint who our victim is. If she's been reported missing."

"Let me know when you do that. In the meantime, I'm going to see if anyone reported a kidnapping at the time you say she was buried." Disgusted, Booth placed his notebook in his jacket pocket. "If this is the Gravedigger's work then this is the second time his victim has been found. It has to be making him nervous . . . at least I hope so."

As he moved over to the stairs, Hodgins stopped him. "The clothes she was wearing was a school uniform. She must have gone to a private school. I'll sketch what I think the uniform looked like and email you."

"Thanks Hodgins." Concerned for his partner and Hodgins, Booth glanced at Brennan and placed his hand on Hodgins' shoulder. "We're going to get the Gravedigger. Maybe not today, but sooner or later he's going to make a huge mistake and we're going to get him."

This case was giving the entomologist flashbacks to when he had been kidnapped and he appreciated Booth's assurances. "Thanks Man."

Once Booth was gone, Hodgins returned to the uniform, laid it out and started to sketch what he saw. "I wonder how many more bodies are out there? Most of his victims seem to be young people . . . We need to catch this guy before he kidnaps anyone else."

Everyone on the platform heard Hodgins and agreed but didn't say anything. It was obvious that they were all worried. Two of their people had been kidnapped by the Gravedigger and who knew if the serial kidnapper was finished? The FBI and the Lab were a threat to the Gravedigger and he just might try to silence them again.

Cam decided to state the obvious. "I think it would be wise that no one go anywhere by themselves when they are outside the Jeffersonian. Make sure you're with someone else and for God's sake, don't trust anyone. It's possible that the Gravedigger has ties to law enforcement. At least Thomas Vega thinks so and he wrote a book on the Gravedigger. Let's just be careful for the next few weeks."

Shivering, Angela walked over to where Hodgins was standing and placed her hand on upper arm. "We'll be very careful, you can bet on that."

A slight smile on his face, Hodgins nodded his head. "Bet on it, Ange."

 _Ooooooooooooooooo_

Slowly brushing her damp hair, Brennan was thinking about the victim they were trying to identify and wondered if there were more bodies out there just waiting to be discovered.

Booth entered the bedroom and noticed the pensive look on Brennan's face. Moving over to where she was standing, he placed his hands on her shoulders and massaged them. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm just thinking about the Gravedigger. It's possible that there are more victims waiting to be discovered." Brennan placed her hair brush down on the dresser. "The victim in our Lab fought to escape her prison and failed. She died alone and afraid." She felt a tear fall down her cheek. "That could have been me."

"Bones . . . we're going to get this guy." He placed his arms around her and kissed the side of her face. "Sooner or later, he's going to make a mistake and when he does, he's going to pay for what he's done. We're going to get justice for the woman buried in the coffin, the boys buried in the beer vat and we're going to get justice for you and Hodgins. We're not going to give up on finding the Gravedigger. He's going to be stopped."

Turning in his arms, Brennan placed her arms around her mate and hugged him. "Yes, we will stop him. I won't let my experience impede my work. I am just one of many victims of the Gravedigger, but I escaped and we know that there are others that were released or the Gravedigger would not continue to do what he's doing. Families paid for their loved ones release. We need to talk to them. They have information that we can use, but the problem is in locating them. They didn't approach law enforcement when their family member was kidnapped and it's not likely they will come forward now."

He could hear the determination in her voice and he knew that she was alright for now. "I'll talk to Dr. Wyatt and see if he can help us. We need to think outside the box on this one. Maybe he can point us in the right direction."

She didn't trust psychology, but Booth was right. They needed to locate the surviving kidnapped victims and talk to them. If Dr. Wyatt could think of a way to do that, then she would be grateful. "If we could get access to previous sites where the victims were buried, we might find evidence pointing to who the Gravedigger is." Stepping back, Brennan smiled at her mate. "I'm tired. I think we should rest now."

Moving over to the bed, Booth laid down and waited for Brennan to join him. Once they were lying beside each other, Brennan moved closer and Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "I'm right here, Bones. You're not alone."

"Yes and you're not alone either."

Oooooooooooooooooo

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	44. Chapter 44

(After 'Star Gazer in a Puddle')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

"The victim is Kathy Chen. She's the daughter of Harold and Grace Chen." Angela pulled a picture of Kathy's parents and let it display next to Kathy's picture in a split screen. "Harold Chen is the president of 'Chopsticks in Your Pocket'. A very successful Chinese restaurant chain in the Virginia and Maryland area."

"I've eaten there. The food is great." Booth studied the picture of both the victim and the parents. "Apparently Mr. Chen contacted the FBI the minute he heard that his daughter had been kidnapped and the Gravedigger didn't contact them again . . . I think this proves that the Gravedigger is in law enforcement . . . The FBI or someone with connections to the FBI."

Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts. "That would explain how the Gravedigger knows if the victim's family has contacted law enforcement . . . if they do, he doesn't tell them where their family member is and that person dies. It's a terrible dilemma for the parents. Trust someone who wants a lot of money and with no guarantee that they will get their loved one back or contact law enforcement and hope they can find their family member before they die. It's a terrible Catch 22."

Surprised that Brennan had used a pop-culture reference, Booth smiled. "That's right, an excellent use of pop-culture, Bones. It's right on the money."

"Thank you." Brennan stared at the image of the victim. "We've gone over the evidence left behind. There are no fingerprints on the coffin or on the material in the coffin. No skin under the fingernails of the victim pointing to a fight with the Gravedigger. Kathy has two burn marks on her neck, so she was probably tasered then moved to the coffin. There are no particulates pointing towards where she was attacked or kept before she was buried alive. Whoever the Gravedigger is, that person has been very careful not to leave any clues behind."

"So, we're in the same place we were before Kathy Chen's body was found." Frustrated, Booth rubbed his chin and stared at the images of the parents. "The school where Kathy was found was abandoned, so the cameras are not operating there anymore. The school is isolated and there are no businesses or houses located on that street, so no one noticed any activity there in the last six months. I'm sure someone would have noticed heavy equipment at the school or leading to the school, so I assume the Gravedigger used a shovel to dig the grave and to bury the coffin . . . I still think the Gravedigger isn't working alone, but there's no proof that's true."

Her own frustration growing, Cam tapped her foot on the floor. "This is ridiculous. There should be something pointing to who this serial killer is. He isn't God . . . we need access to the burial sites of the kidnapped victims that were rescued by their parents, but they're probably too afraid to come forward. They didn't notify the FBI when their relative was kidnapped and they're probably too afraid of the Gravedigger to say anything now. So far, we only know about the kidnappings that were reported by the relatives of the victims who weren't rescued."

"I'm afraid you're right." Booth wasn't sure what else they could do at the moment. "I notified the Chen's that their daughter's body has been found and promised that we can release her remains next week. Make sure you have all the pictures and videos that you need of Kathy's remains before we release her to her family. We'll keep the coffin and the particulates collected at the burial site here at the Jeffersonian . . . I guess that's all we can do for now, damn it."

Ooooooooooooooooo

He'd thought it over and Hodgins knew that if he and Angela were going to move forward, they needed to do something about Angela's husband. "I think I'm going to hire a private detective and try to track down your husband. We can't get married if you're still legally married."

"I've been racking my brain trying to remember his name, but I can't." She wasn't embarrassed about it. After all, it had been Fiji and she'd been on vacation. She'd been there to have fun. "I think he might have had a 'y' or 'b' in his name, but I can't really remember."

"That's okay. A good private investigator should be able to figure it out." If it wasn't for the fact that he wanted to get married, Hodgins would have considered the whole thing to be funny. "Once we find him, you can ask him for an annulment or a divorce. Either way, that will take care of our problem."

Sipping some of her coffee, Angela realized that she had forgot to tell Hodgins about her conversation with her father. "I talked to Dad and I mentioned that we're not married . . . He wasn't happy about it. He said that he might not be able to make our next wedding once we get this straightened out since he has a tour in Europe coming up. He'll try, but he can't guarantee anything."

"Well, he attended the first wedding, so there's that." Personally, Hodgins would prefer if his future father-in-law didn't come to the next wedding. Deep down, he was afraid the Texan blamed him for the wedding being postponed. The man was scary and he made Hodgins nervous. "Since we didn't pull off the first wedding like we wanted to, we might have a hard time getting anyone to agree to come to a second wedding. Booth's already told me he won't be my best man again. He wasn't happy that he rented a tuxedo and the wedding fell through. I offered to pay him back, but I think I insulted him. I never know what to say to him. He's kind of prickly."

Angela agreed about the wedding. "I guess we can elope. That's more romantic anyway." She had been surprised that Brennan and Cam hadn't given her any grief about the failed wedding, but then again, Brennan didn't believe in marriage and as far as she could tell, neither did Cam. "Once I can get the divorce, we'll get married and move on with our lives. We don't really need a wedding. It was a nice idea, but I think we can skip that particular custom the next time."

Hodgins placed his hand over her hand. "If you change your mind, let me know. I'm sure we could get some people to show up for a small wedding. I want you to be happy."

"I am happy, Jack." Angela smiled at her fiancé. "I'm very happy."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Max wasn't happy. His son was stuck in Coos Bay, Oregon away from his family and his daughter had only been to see him once since he had told her how her mother had died. He wasn't sure if his daughter would ever visit him again and that was just too sad to contemplate. He had turned himself in to get to know his daughter better and to prove that he was not going to ever abandon her again, but if she didn't want to come to see him, then his plan had failed and in a major way. Not sure what else he could do, Max called Seeley Booth and asked him to come and see him.

Waiting in the interview room, Max drummed his fingers on the table, waiting for Booth to enter the room. Once the agent arrived, Max stood up and offered his hand which was rejected by the Agent. Not really surprised, Max sat back down. "Still mad about me punching you in the nuts?"

His face an emotionless mask, Booth sat down and faced his girlfriend's father. "You asked me to come and see you. I'm here. What do you want? Want to confess to killing Deputy Director Kirby or Garret Delaney?"

"Why would I confess to something I didn't do?" Max was too smart to confess to anything even if the evidence was overwhelming. He wasn't going to help the state execute him. "No, the reason why I called you was I've only seen Tempe once since I talked to her about her mother. Is she doing okay? I know talking about Christine upset her, but she wanted to know how her mother died and I told her the truth . . . She told me about Foster Care and how she almost died . . . Does she hate me?"

While he didn't hate Max and actually kind of liked him, Booth was on Brennan's side when it came to her family. "You abandoned Bones twice. Once when she was fifteen and again a few months ago. You hurt her, Max. You basically told her that she wasn't worth keeping and you threw her away."

Horrified that his daughter would think that was true, Max leaned forward on the table and shook his head. "No, that's not true. My wife and I ran away to draw McVicar away from our kids. If McVicar had found them he would have killed them just to make a point. We had to leave our kids behind and not contact them again. They were innocent and they didn't deserve to be killed for something I had done . . . We thought that Russ would take care of his sister, but we were wrong . . . As for me leaving her behind a few months ago, the FBI was looking for me to arrest me. I couldn't take Tempe with me. She works for the FBI. She has this great job at the Jeffersonian. She wasn't made to be on the run, hiding from the law. I didn't throw her away. I was protecting her. I was protecting her from the mess that I call my life. She needs order and my life is chaos. You have to know she hates chaos. She's been like that ever since she was a little girl. She needs an orderly life."

Booth knew that his partner hated chaos. She tried to control as much of her environment as possible. She was a great organizer and that was why she was great at her job. She could take a skeleton that was horribly damaged and organize those bones so that it made sense. It didn't matter how much damage the body was in, she knew how to make it tell her a story. She could read the bones and she could tell you how the victim died. She was amazing. "She sees it differently. She thinks you don't want her to be part of your family. Right now, she considers me to be the only family she has. Russ came back into her life and she accepted him, but then he took off again with you and she took that hard. How can you not see that?"

"I do see it, Booth. I see it all too clearly." Max didn't know what to do. "Look, I came back to be part of Tempe's life. I did that knowing I was going to be arrested for murder and that I was going to be tried. Hell, I'll probably be found guilty, but I'm here risking it all to be part of Tempe's life. I want to be her father. I want to be part of her family . . . I can't undo what I did in in the past. I wish I could, but I can't, but I'm here now. I'm not going anywhere."

"What do you want me to do, Max? I can't force her to come to see you. She has to want to come and right now she doesn't want to see you." Booth rubbed his forehead. "She saw the tape her mother recorded. It broke her heart to watch that video. That video is the only closure she will ever have. Bones hasn't seen her mother since she was fifteen and now she has a video of her mother that proves that you and her were still alive and living somewhere else when Bones was sixteen. Her mother was living another life that didn't involve her. You don't think that doesn't hurt? She was in Foster Care while you and your wife were living another life. I'm glad she told you about one of her foster families abusing her. You needed to hear that. She wasn't cut out for Foster Care. She needed her family, but they didn't need her."

"God that's not true." Max was furious. "My wife and I were protecting our children. Vicious killers were looking for us. Not jut that gang in Ohio, but Kirby and Delaney too. If they had found us they would have killed us without a second thought. We protected our children by staying away. You don't think we didn't cry when we left them behind? You don't think we didn't think of our kids every day. They were our children. You have a son. Wouldn't it kill you to be away from him, with no hope of ever seeing him again. What we did wasn't done out of cruelty. It was done out of love. Christine loved her children. I love my children. I love them."

The pain in Max's voice was unmistakable. "I don't know what you want me to do, Max. Bones is going to do what she wants to do. It's her life. I don't have control over what she does and I don't want to."

Shrugging his shoulders, Max leaned back against his chair. "Tell her that I love her and I hope she visits me again. If she doesn't then I guess . . . well, if I'm convicted of Kirby's death they'll execute me, but as along as I'm alive, I'll keep some hope that my daughter will forgive me enough to come and see me before I die."

There wasn't anything else to talk about, so Booth stood up and walked over to the door. "I'll talk to her, but it's up to her if she comes and sees you."

Once Booth was gone, Max slumped in his chair. He wanted to have a connection with his daughter, but it was possible that would never happen. He had tried and if he failed, then it was on his head. His daughter had been through a lot since she had been abandoned by her family and he knew that if she chose not to have a relationship with him, then it was his fault, not hers.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

That evening, Booth was tinkering with his Mustang when Brennan entered the garage. "I've hired a lawyer for Dad." She didn't want her father to be represented by free counsel. She needed someone versed in death penalty cases.

Surprised, Booth grabbed a rag from the bench and wiped his hands. "Really. Who'd you get?"

"David Barron." Brennan had asked Cam for a recommendation and she had offered up David Barron's name. He was good at his job and more than forty five percent of his clients had either been found not guilty during their trial or their sentences had been reduced to life. He seemed like the best available.

"Caroline's ex-husband. That should make the trial interesting." Amused, Booth shook his head. "They get along because they have a daughter together, but those two have faced off in court a few times and it's a real battle I can tell you that. Neither one of them will concede anything. This trial isn't going to be the cake walk Caroline was counting on."

That was what Brennan was hoping for too. "The evidence against Max is overwhelming, but I am hoping that Mr. Barron will be able to get the death penalty taken off of the table."

Dropping the rag on the bench, Booth closed the hood of his Mustang and walked over to where Brennan was standing. "I went to see Max this afternoon. He wanted me to let you know that he loves you and he hopes that you'll come and see him."

"I plan to go see him next week to let him know that I have hired a lawyer for him." Brennan was still torn about her father. She loved the man and disliked him at the same time. He was her father and a stranger. He was a former high school teacher and a bank robber and a murder. It was very confusing.

"Alright." Booth had passed along Max's message and that was as far as he would go. He would never let Max get between him and his partner. "Let's go have some ice cream. I'm hungry for ice cream."

Amused, Brennan smiled. "I think we have chocolate in the freezer."

"Perfect." Following Brennan into the house, Booth was glad he was still able to make Brennan smile. Until her father went to trial, she was going to have more bad days than good, but he would be by her side and try to cheer her up as much as possible.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

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	45. Chapter 45

(The Widow's Son in the Windshield)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooo

They'd had a few cases since Zach had left for Iraq and Brennan was still uncomfortable working without him. She had relied upon his expertise which had allowed her to work in the field with Booth. Zach was a genius and she could count on him to clean the bones of victims and begin a thorough examination without her in the Lab to supervise. He kept meticulous notes and being a polymath, he was capable of helping Hodgins do experiments. Agreeing to go to Iraq to consult with the U.S. Army had left Brennan without proper help and that effected everyone else at the Lab.

She had the option of choosing one of her graduate students as her new intern, but what would happen when Zach returned in a year's time? It would be grossly unfair to fire the intern because he or she wasn't Zach Addy. She needed the help, but didn't have anyone she could rely upon, so she felt compelled to stay at the Lab more than she usually did which seemed to annoy Booth. Unfortunately, she didn't see away around the issue. Someone had to clean the bones of the victims, examine the cleaned bones and if necessary, help Dr. Hodgins run experiments.

Cam could see that Brennan was over working herself trying to work in the Lab and go into the field and she was certain that her forensic anthropologist couldn't keep up that pace for an entire year. She had a list of qualified forensic anthropologists that were willing to work at the Lab under Brennan's supervision and she had shown them to Brennan, but the lack of interest had been apparent. Taking matters into her own hands, Cam talked to a young doctor named Clark Edison and asked him to try out for the position knowing that the job would only be good for seven months. Eager to work with one of the best forensic anthropologists in the country and at the Jeffersonian, Clark had accepted the challenge.

Ooooooooooooooo

Their latest case was bizarre as far as Booth was concerned. Someone had thrown a skull from an over pass and had hit a car windshield after it bounced off the back of a truck. They had a skull and no body. They had a crime, but no crime scene. He had hoped that the case would cheer Brennan up since it was very mysterious and wouldn't be easy to solve, but she just seemed tired to him and that worried him. Making arrangements to have the skull sent on to the Lab, Booth returned to the Hoover and Brennan returned to the Lab.

Once she was on the platform, Brennan was surprised to find Cam and Dr. Edison waiting for her. "What's this?" She was usually more precise in her speech, but she was tired and she was sure she wasn't going to like whatever was being planned by Cam.

"Since you need help in the Lab, Dr. Edison has agreed to work with you for the next seven months while Zach is in Iraq. Dr. Edison has a doctorate in forensic anthropology and has been working for a law firm as a consultant. He is planning on continuing his education and will be returning to University next Fall." Cam was prepared for Brennan to reject Clark's help, but prayed she'd would accept the help instead.

Aware of Dr. Clark Edison's qualifications since his resume had been one of the ones that Cam had sent her to read, Brennan thought about it for a moment and finally nodded her head. "As long as it is understood that Dr. Edison's employment will be terminated when Zach comes back."

Clark felt a chill with the bluntness of Brennan's statement, but he was used to quirky scientists having worked with Dr. Marcus Eldridge on an expedition funded by the billionaire Henry Charles. That expedition had been a war of egos and ideas between Eldridge and Charles and had ended in tragedy. He could put up with a lot to be part of a well-funded lab like the Medico-Legal Lab and to work with the best forensic anthropologist in the country. "Those terms are satisfactory, Dr. Brennan."

Surprised that Brennan had given in without a fight, Cam suspected that Booth was applying pressure on his partner to find someone to help at the Lab. Whatever it was that made Brennan change her mind, Cam was grateful. "Excellent. The skull from the windshield is waiting on the examination table. It's been photographed and x-rayed and Dr. Hodgins has taken samples of particulates. He removed all of the glass fragments that adhered to the skull when it hit the windshield, so it's ready for you to examine."

Moving over to the examination table, Brennan pulled on some gloves and began to stare at the skull. While Brennan examined the skull, Clark read the police report about how the skull was found to become familiar with the case and then moved on to the x-rays.

After a close examination of the skull, Brennan used a magnifier to get a closer look at the bones and sutures. A little shocked at what she found, Brennan stood up and contemplated what it all meant.

Curious, Clark asked if he could examine the skull. Since this would be an excellent test of Dr. Edison's abilities, Brennan stood back. "Yes, let me know what your findings are."

Keenly aware that this was a test, Clark took his time to examine the skull with the magnifier. "Oh . . . this skull has been cannibalized."

Surprised that Clark had found that bit of information so quickly, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, that is correct. The ungual pattern is quite distinct. Is there anything else of note about the skull?"

Turning his attention back to the skull, Clark nodded his head. "Yes, I noticed an osteoma in the x-ray. One this size can cause headaches, infected sinuses and they are distinctive like fingerprints."

"What should our next step be now that we have made this discovery?" Brennan waited to see what Clark would say.

"We need to check the local 'ear, nose and throat' surgeons and see if they had a patient seeking help for the pain in his sinuses." Clark turned to look at Brennan. He knew he was right, but would she acknowledge it?

Satisfied for the moment, Brennan removed her gloves. "Let me know what you find out." Moving across the platform, Brennan resigned herself to working with someone other than Zach. She hated change, she had always hated change, but she had to be a realist. She needed help at the Lab until Zach returned and Clark was knowledgeable enough to handle the job. Booth had been complaining about her absences in the field and she knew that he was unhappy with their present situation.

Of course, if he had talked Zach out of going to Iraq then there would be no problem. She had asked him to stop Zach from going, but he pointed out that Zach was an adult and he needed to control his own life as much as possible. Booth didn't feel that anyone had the right to keep Zach from serving his country if he felt the call. She had been disappointed that Booth couldn't stop her intern from leaving and sometimes she felt a little resentful towards her partner.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

While Brennan worked with the skull, Booth managed to get a warrant for a landfill. The truck that the skull bounced from had been on the way to a landfill and Booth was certain they might find the rest of the bones belonging to the skull there. FBI techs were dispatched to the landfill and they bagged anything that looked like bones. Unfortunately, that meant that thousands of bone chips were collected and that would require a lot of man hours to separate out animal bones, plastics and hopefully human bones from the pile. Brennan assigned Clark the job of sorting the bones. With grace, Clark excepted the assignment. He was there to do a job and he would do it even if it was looking through a small mountain of bones and trash trying to find human bones.

Brennan helped with the identifications trying to speed up the process of identifying the victim and found the work to be soothing. Anyone with training in forensics would have no trouble sorting out the bones and slowly she and Clark set aside a small mound of human bone chips. They couldn't assume they belonged to one individual, so there would be numerous tests done on the bones to try to identify the owner of every bone chip.

Clark's inquiries with 'ear, nose and throat' surgeons had produced what they needed. A surgeon on M street identified the victim as Gavin Nichols. He was a young man of 22 years who was a violin prodigy who was also the owner of a $3 million violin. Booth surmised that the victim had either been the victim of a cannibalistic thief or a cannibal who hated classical music. Either way, they now had someone to concentrate on.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Clue after clue came in and that led to a deserted bank on the Anacostia. After they talked to a guard that watched over the historic building they found out that there was an old bank vault in the basement. After Booth hired a locksmith to break into the vault, they found the vault was filled with antiquities, books and relics.

While exploring the vault, Booth found a transmitter above one of the alcoves that in the dark looked like a bomb. Throwing himself on Brennan to protect her he had waited for an explosion and crippling pain to course through his body, but instead nothing had happened.

Amused, Brennan pushed on Booth to get him to roll off of her. "It's not a bomb and why did you have your eyes closed?"

"If I'm going to be blown up, I'd rather not see it." It made sense to him, but Brennan had found his reasoning humorous. "It helps, okay?" Once they were on their feet, the partners explored the rooms of the vault and realized that there were a lot of archaic items in the rooms. This was also where they found Gavin Nichols' violin and much to Booth's distaste, a skeleton made of silver and human bones.

Booth thought it would be a good idea to get Cam and Hodgins to come down and look at the things they'd found and help them make sense of what they were seeing. Brennan agreed.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Hodgins had never been so happy to see something as he was the contents of the vault. He had always believed in secret societies that controlled governments and people of influence and the vault simply confirmed that his beliefs were actually true. He knew that he would be spending as much of his free time as possible studying the contents of the vault just to try to pinpoint what it all meant.

Cam was more concerned about the skeleton. If who ever owned the silver skeleton was killing people and replacing the silver bones with human bones, then they might be dealing with a cult and that worried her. After she had Caroline Julian looked over the vault it was decided to move the contents of the vault to the Jeffersonian. There was room in the basement and it would be easier to guard the artifacts if they were in the museum. It was Cam's hope that by keeping the skeleton from the killer he might stop killing. Booth pointed out he could just start a new skeleton which depressed her. She hated serial killer cases and always worried that if they didn't catch the killer soon enough other people would be killed. Much like the Gravedigger, this serial killer could be hard to catch and they would see more victims as time moved forward.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Apparently, Zach's year long contract with the Army was terminated and he was sent home. Though most of the group at the Lab was glad to see Zach's return there were two who had reservations. Clark assumed he was out of a job because of Zach's early return and Booth wondered why Zach had been sent home.

Zach was immediately put to work while Cam tried to figure out what to do with Clark Edison. The man was brilliant and she hated to lose his expertise, but she wasn't sure she could keep him since her budget didn't include two interns for Brennan at the Lab. "Dr. Edison before you leave for the day, may I speak to you?"

Certain that he was about to be terminated, Clark entered Cam's office, but remained near the door. "Dr. Addy is back. I assume I'm fired."

Facing the young man, Cam crossed her arms against her breasts. "Do you wish to stay?"

"Do I have a choice?" Curious, Clark stared at his supervisor with quiet intensity.

"I think you do." She hadn't really had time to think about what she wanted to do, but she knew that losing Clark might actually hurt the Lab. She had found him to be efficient, insightful and willing to learn. "Would you like to work until your contract is up in seven months?"

Surprised, Clark stepped further into the room. "If I have a choice, I'd like to stay . . . At least for a little while. Will Dr. Brennan allow me to stay?"

A slight smile on her face, Cam shook her head. "Believe it or not, I run this Lab not Dr. Brennan. If you were to stay, you would be my intern. You would help me with autopsies, medical tests and you would also work with Dr. Brennan if she needs the help. With Zach here, I can assure you she will rely on his expertise more than anyone else at the Lab, but you are here to learn and she's an excellent teacher. If I let her know that you have a contract with the Lab for the next seven months which she had approved, then she will accept your presence. She is a realist. If you get an opportunity you should work with Dr. Addy. He's brilliant and you could learn a lot from him too."

Giving her plan some serious thought, Clark finally nodded his head. "I think I'd like to at least give it a try. I am a forensic anthropologist and not a medical examiner, but I think learning more about the human body would be beneficial. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to stay, Dr. Saroyan."

"Don't thank me yet. I'm not sure how Dr. Brennan is going to react to my plan. She is a very independent person and I don't exactly have a lot of say about how she does her work or runs her part of the Lab. I should, but realistically, I don't."

He had worked with Brennan for four days and he had observed how everyone reacted towards Brennan and how she reacted towards the rest of the personnel at the Lab. Nothing Cam had said surprised him. "Understood."

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Booth could feel the tension emanating from Brennan and was wondering what was going on. "Hey you okay?"' After a long day, they were home trying to relax before going to bed, but Booth could clearly see that Brennan was wound up like a tightly wound spring.

A lot on her mind, Brennan wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it. "We are presently working on two serial killer cases, The Gravedigger and Gormoggon."

"I hate giving serial killer's names. It just adds to their notoriety." Booth felt that part of the problem with serial killers was the fact that they started to become a legend in the minds of the public and it made law enforcement look inept. It ramped up fear among the civilians and that didn't help the situation. "Look we're up to this. Yeah, two serial killers on the loose is bad, but we're working on their cases. We knew it was going to take time with the Gravedigger since the guy is being careful not to leave clues, but he isn't God and he's going to screw up sooner or later. You can count on that. As for this cannibal, we have a lot of clues from the vault. We have Gavin Nichols' skull and we've found some of his bones from the landfill. We're probably going to figure out who this nut is before the Gravedigger, but we will figure it out. Everyone at the Lab is working on this."

Looping her arm around Booth's arm, Brennan sighed. "Add to that, my father's trial is going to come up in a few months and everyone at the Lab will be expected to give testimony against him."

"Bones, not you and not me." Booth patted her hand. "Caroline came to see me and she told me that you can't be involved in the trial because Max is your father and I can't be involved because I'm involved with you."

"But that will harm the case." Brennan hated to think that the Lab would be crippled during a vital trial.

Turning his head, Booth kissed the side of her face. "That might be a good thing, Bones. Max is your father and I'm kind of hoping that a miracle happens and he's found not guilty."

"But he's a murderer, Booth."

"Maybe and maybe he's not. That's up to the jury to decide." Booth had mixed feelings about Max, but he knew one thing for sure. The man was Brennan's father and if the state executed him, Brennan would take that hard. "Look, we know that Max is a bank robber and he's probably a killer, but he's your father and when it comes down to it, if he is found guilty, I'd rather he just be given life not the death penalty. That may be wrong, but it doesn't feel like it."

Emotional, Brennan nodded her head, turned her head, captured Booth's face with her hand and kissed him. "It doesn't feel like it to me either."

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	46. Chapter 46

(Death in the Saddle)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

A/N: this chapter is rated 'T'.

I don't own Bones.

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"Look Bones, I don't know anything about this new kid they've hired as a psychiatrist, but he's Gordon Wyatt's replacement." Booth glanced at the rear view mirror and saw that the road behind him was empty for the moment. "Anyway, he came by my office and introduced himself and he said that he needs to see you and me in a week or so, once he's got his schedules set up. I told him we didn't need to see him and he told me that Deputy Director Bishop wants us to talk to him."

Annoyed, Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts. "What for?"

"I don't know, the kid wouldn't tell me." Brennan wasn't the only one annoyed at the moment. "I tried to find out from Bishop, but he's in meetings all week and he can't see me . . . he probably knows why I want to talk to him and he's ducking my calls, the bastard."

"I've had enough of psychologists lately." Brennan still felt ill used being forced to see Dr. Gordon Wyatt in the past. "I hope this isn't about Howard Epps or me being kidnapped. I'm fine and I don't wish to talk about either incident again."

Flipping his turn signals on, Booth moved off the highway and stopped at the bottom of the exit ramp waiting for traffic to clear on the cross street. "I don't think that's it. Gordon released you for those things . . . You know what? Let's not worry about it for now. We'll handle the kid when we see him."

"You keep calling him a kid, just how old is this psychiatrist?" Suspicious, Brennan turned to look at her partner. "Is he really a child or are you denigrating him?"

"Both. He looks like he's just out of college. I don't need some wet behind the ears kid meddling in my business." Booth finally pulled out onto the cross road and drove north. "Anyway, I just told you this to give you a heads up. We'll worry about it later . . . Whatever our victim was up to, I'm hoping we can clear it up when we get to this hotel he was staying at. Ed Milner pissed off someone pretty badly to have them stab him the forehead, cut off his feet and bury them separately from his body."

Their victim had been found not too far from the hotel they were planning to visit and Brennan was certain that the answers would be found there. "He was killed like a prized horse, his stomach contained horse feed and his skin was covered with sun screen recommended for horses."

"Mr. Ed was a weirdo and I'll bet his killer is a freak too." Booth was certain that Ed Milner had been up to some weird crap and that was what got him killed.

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Much to Booth's disgust, Mr. Ed had been part of a Pony Fetish community. The victim had pretended to be a horse and some woman treated him like one except when they were having sex. They interviewed his 'rider', the man's wife, the hotel owner and other pretend horses. By the time they had figured out who the murderer was, Booth's patience was almost shot. The fact that Mr. Ed's 'rider' had killed him because he was going to go back to his wife just proved that even perverts could get things wrong. "You see Bones, no matter how nutso people are, no matter how much of a pervert these kinds of people are, they still kill for the same reasons normal people kill. Annie wanted Mr. Ed and he didn't want her so she killed him."

"You're awfully judgmental." Brennan had found the case and the people involved fascinating. She had read a few studies about Pony Fetishism and found the practice to be interesting though she felt no need for such practices herself. "People who participate in Pony Play need more than love in their lives to be sexually satisfied. Fetishism is a way of indulging in sexual activity without actually engaging emotionally with the other person."

Irritated, Booth interrupted his partner. "Sex is all about engaging, Bones. When you turn someone into an object for sexual pleasure, it's just wrong. People aren't objects to be used. It's callous, it's disrespectful and those people have no idea what love is. Annie wanted to play with ponies, but she fell in love with a man who loved his wife. She killed him because she couldn't have what she wanted. She was engaged emotionally with Mr. Ed and that's a fact."

Although Brennan didn't need fetishes to be emotionally satisfied, she understood that there were people who enjoyed sex while role playing. "It's just sex Booth."

"It's crappy sex." Looking around his kitchen, Booth appreciated the normalcy of being home, but he didn't really want to talk about their case while he was eating. "Do you want another beer?" Standing, he moved over to the fridge and pulled out two bottles. Checking with his partner, he noticed her shake her head and he put one of the bottles back on the shelf. Back at the table, he opened the bottle, took a swig and placed the bottle down next to his plate. "Let's talk about something else."

Curious, Brennan placed her fork down and stared at her boyfriend. "Why is it crappy sex?"

"It's gotta be, Bones." Booth pushed his plate forward and leaned on the table. Brennan obviously wanted to talk about it, so he knew he might as well get that part of the conversation over. "Okay, look . . . Here we are, all of us, basically alone, separate creatures, just circling each other, all searching for that slightest hint of a real connection. Some look in the wrong places . . . Like Mr. Ed . . . Some give up hope because in their mind, they're thinking 'Oh, there's nobody out there for me' but all of us, we keep trying over and over again because once in a while, two people meet and there's this spark and yes, he's handsome and she's beautiful and maybe that's all they see at first, but making love, that's when two people become one."

"You do know that it's scientifically impossible for two objects to occupy the same space?"

He had hoped that he could make her see that fetishes weren't necessary, but maybe he just wasn't smart enough. "What's important is we try and when we do it right, we get close . . . those people with their role-playing and their fetishes and their sex games . . . it's crappy sex at least compared to the real thing . . . like we have. We have what a lot of people are searching for. You and me found each other and we fell in love and we didn't have to do it by pretending to be something that we're not. When we make love, it's real, we're real. There aren't any barriers between us." He didn't know what else to say.

"I believe you, Booth . . . and I think you're right." Brennan picked up he fork and stared at the food left on her plate. After a few seconds she looked up at her partner. "Role playing might be interesting, but our relationship isn't a game and we have a deep emotional connection . . . Perhaps love can make the difference."

Pleased that Brennan had listened to him, Booth moved his plate closer and smiled at his girlfriend. "Love does make the difference. Those Pony players have never experience real love or they would be satisfied with normal sex. I really believe that . . . I love you, Bones and what we have is special. We're the real deal. We don't have to go looking for someone else to feel wanted and loved. We don't have to pretend to be something we're not with strangers. We have what we want right here."

"We do." Brennan chuckled before she continued to eat. "You would look very odd dressed as a pony."

"Yeah, well you'll never know because that ain't happening." Booth shook his head. "I'm pretty sure I can satisfy you without dressing up as a freak. In fact, I know I can . . . of course you don't have to take my word for it. I'll show you after dinner."

A tingle of anticipation ran through her. "I look forward to that, Booth . . . I'm actually full now, aren't you? I mean, if you wish to continue to eat you may, I'm just saying that we could skip dessert, if you want to."

"Um, no, I don't want to skip dessert." Booth stood up, walked around the table and offered his hand to his partner. "I really really want dessert."

"Oh, oh yes, I think I do too." Taking his hand, Brennan stood up and followed him out of the kitchen towards their bedroom. "I'm glad we had this conversation, Booth, it was very interesting."

"Me too, Bones. Me too."

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	47. Chapter 47

(The Secret in the Soil)

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I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

"Thank you for coming in." Dr. Lance Sweets stood in front of a chair and pointed towards two chairs facing him. "If you'll be seated, we can start."

"Start what?" Brennan was annoyed that her time was being wasted. She and Booth were working on a case and it was hard to examine bones when they were in another building.

He could see the cold anger on Brennan's face and he knew he could deal with that. What bothered Sweets was the fact that he couldn't read Booth at all. This was going to be more challenging than he had thought it would. "Deputy Director Bishop asked me to speak to both of you. He told me that Agent Booth arrested your father, Dr. Brennan and he wants to make sure that both of you are not having a problem with that. You work together and you're living together. The strain must be intense since Max Keenan will be put on trial for the murder of Deputy Director Kirby."

"So that's what this is about." Booth had thought this might be a possibility, but since he and Brennan worked well together, he had hoped that Bishop wouldn't worry about it that much. "I was doing my job when I arrested Max and Bones knows that."

"You call Dr. Brennan Bones?" It was a strange nickname to give someone you were supposed to be in love with.

Annoyed, Booth stared at the psychiatrist with hooded eyes. "We were friends before we got together. She's a forensic anthropologist who works with bones. It's a good nickname. What do you want me to call her, Sweetheart? Honeybunch? We work together. We have to be professional."

Surprised, Brennan had never thought about why Booth called her Bones. She didn't like the nickname, but he was right, terms of endearment would be inappropriate. "Booth arrested my father to make sure he was safe. Max killed Deputy Director Kirby and Booth thought that if anyone else arrested him, there was a chance that Max's life would be in danger. He made sure Max was unharmed and made it to the Hoover safely. His reasoning was sound and logical and I can't find any fault in it."

"You call your father, Max?" Sweets found that very interesting.

"That is his name." Not sure why the younger man was obsessing with names, Brennan thought it showed a lack of maturity. _Clearly, he's the kid Booth thinks he is_. "My father abandoned me when I was fifteen years old. He has not been my father for over fifteen years therefore it is more appropriate to call him Max."

Clearly Brennan had issues, but they didn't appear to be with Agent Booth. "I see. I was told by Deputy Director Bishop that you almost stopped going out in the field with Agent Booth after he arrested your father."

"My colleague, Dr. Addy was contracted by the United States Army to work with them in Iraq for one year. Once he was out of the Lab, I didn't have anyone to clean bones and examine them while I was gone. To help Agent Booth with his cases, the bodies that are given to the Lab have to be examined in a timely fashion which meant that I had to do it. I eventually found someone to help me while Zach was gone and I returned to the field. Of course, it was unforeseeable that Dr. Addy would have his contract terminated by the Army after four months. Zach is back and Dr. Edison will be also be working at the Lab until his contract expires, so I now have the time I need to assist Agent Booth in the field."

Booth remained quiet. He watched the interaction between Sweets and his partner and decided that Brennan was doing well without his help.

Not sure if what she had said had been the total truth, Sweets turned his attention towards Booth. "How did you feel when Dr. Brennan stayed in the Lab? Did you think she was punishing you for arresting her father?"

"How did I feel? Did I think she was punishing me?" Not sure how to answer such stupid questions, Booth stared at the boy for a moment then spoke. "I'm a federal agent. I work for the FBI. I don't let my feelings interfere with my work and what kind of person do you think Bones is? She doesn't punish people because things aren't going her way." _Well, maybe a little, but she's human._ Booth shook his head and continued. "She's professional and there isn't anything to punish me for. I was doing my job and I made sure that Max was safe when he was taken into custody, not that he went peacefully. Max is suspected of killing someone. He has to stand trial for that."

"Exactly." Her irritation growing, Brennan was certain that Sweets had insulted her and she didn't like that at all. "Booth was doing his job. If he had refused to arrest Max he could have been demoted or fired. Booth is the best agent that the FBI has at the Hoover and he doesn't deserve to be questioned by someone that doesn't have the maturity or wisdom to see that he didn't do anything wrong. Booth and I are fine and you are wasting our time." She was angry and she wanted to leave. Glancing at her partner, she saw the smile on his lips and she knew that he approved of what she had said.

The interview not going how he had planned it, Sweets stared at Brennan for a few moments and tried to decide his next move. "Okay, you are telling me that you are working well together and that there are no issues between you. Is that right?"

"Yeah, that's right." Booth hoped that they could go soon. Glancing at his watch, he noticed that their time was up. "We're done." Standing, he reached for Brennan's hand and held it while she stood up. "We came and saw you and you can see that nothing is wrong with us. Now we have work to do."

"Wait!" Sweets stood up. "Before I can tell Deputy Director Bishop that you two are okay, I need to observe you out in the field." He wanted to watch them work together. He needed to make sure the partners weren't hiding anything.

Pursing his lips, Booth glanced at Brennan and shrugged his shoulders. He didn't see anything wrong with that proposal, but Brennan might.

Since Booth wasn't objecting, Brennan grimly nodded her head. "You may observe our work, but you may not interfere with how we work. You will not be allowed to interact with suspects since you are merely a psychiatrist and have no investigative training."

It felt like a slap, but the partners were agreeing to his plan and Sweets knew that he would take it on their terms. "Of course. I'm going to observe you two and how you work together. I don't plan to interfere with your investigation."

"Good." Booth released Brennan's hand and walked over to the door, holding the door open for Brennan. Before he left, he looked back. "We're working on a case right now. I'll call you when we go out to do some interviews. You can watch, but you can't say anything. If you interfere with my case, I'll kick your ass to the curb."

And Sweets believed him.

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Booth had made it clear to Sweets. He could watch from the observation room. He would not be allowed in the interrogation room with Booth and Brennan and their suspects. While he watched them interrogate both Charlie Rogan and Kat Curtis he realized that this case was nothing but a tragedy. The victims had been killed because of a misunderstanding and a physical confrontation that shouldn't have happened. The killers had been caught up in a situation that could have been resolved if only Kat Curtis had talked to her father instead of confronting Emma Billings.

Kat was filled with remorse. She had confronted Emma Billings because she had assumed that the young woman was having an affair with her father. She had pushed Emma, Emma fell and the young woman had hit her head on a coffee table killing her instantly. "Dad left everything to nonprofits. That insurance money was all my mom would have. We had to leave his body where someone would find him."

"You and Charlie buried Emma and your father at the composting place so their bodies could be found?" Booth found Kat's story to be both believable and sad. "You did this for your mother?"

Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kat nodded her head. "I never meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to hurt anyone. I just wanted my mother to be happy."

Brennan thought it was important for Kat to know the truth. "Your father wasn't having an affair with Emma. He'd had a relationship with her mother a long time ago. Emma Billings was his daughter. She was your half-sister."

Appalled, Kat leaned forward trying to understand what Brennan had just told her. "What? Oh my God! Oh my God!" Realization set is and Kat thought she was going to be sick. "No! Oh my God, no! Oh my God, no!." She couldn't say anything else. Her thoughts were caught up in a loop. She had killed her sister and Charlie had killed her father all because she had thought her father was being unfaithful to her mother. She had killed a sister she didn't know she had.

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Sweets met the partners in his office. The occasion was somber and the younger man knew that the case had affected the couple. "So, the case is finished?"

"Yes." Booth stared at the coffee table. He didn't want to talk about the case, he just wanted to go home.

Puzzled about Booth's attitude, Sweets thought that the agent should be pleased that he had found the murderers. It was what he did for a living wasn't it? "You don't seem too happy about it."

Tearing his gaze from the coffee table, Booth stared at Sweets and gave the boy an honest answer. "Well, because sometimes, if you win, you end up with somebody else's pain and screwed up life. You work for the FBI, you should know that. If you don't, you'd better learn." Kat and Charlie were going to pay for what they did even though it was an accident and they hadn't planned on killing anyone. Kat had lost both her father and her half-sister, but Booth had to do what he did. He closed his case.

The agent's answer was so wooden, so emotionless, it made Sweets wonder about Booth's ability to process emotions. "Must be a challenge for you to access those feelings."

Furious, Brennan leaned forward. She'd had enough. "Okay, stop. You don't know Booth. You don't know me, you have a limited view of us based on subjective analysis from talking to us and observing us. That is not at all scientific, so back off."

Surprised that Brennan was reacting so passionately, Sweets could see that he might have misunderstood the partners. Brennan came across as cold and logical and Booth was aloof and impatient. Clearly, he needed more data. "Just trying to help."

"By questioning his humanity?" She knew that psychiatry was quackery and this was just proof that she was right.

Pleased and flattered that Brennan had jumped in to protect him, Booth turned and placed his hand on his partner's arm. "He's just a kid, Bones. The worse thing that's probably ever happened to him was he lost at Mortal Kombat."

Booth's touch and calmly spoken words seemed to calm Brennan and Sweets found that fascinating. Clearly the partners were not having personal problems. Brennan had attacked him for disparaging her partner proving that she wasn't angry or upset with Booth. The partners were in a respectful relationship and Max's arrest was not interfering with their relationship. "Are you normally this protective of him, Dr. Brennan."

The question was absurd as far as Brennan was concerned. "We're partners. We're in a relationship."

Booth interrupted her. "Our lives depend on being protective of each other. I protect her and she protects me. We're good at what we do, Sweets. You're a kid and haven't had the experiences we've had. Maybe someday you'll get what we're talking about, I don't know. Me and Bones are fine, personally and professionally."

"I agree." Sweets leaned back against his chair. "I think you have a healthy relationship, but Max Keenan is going to go on trial for murder in a few months. I need you to promise me that if things become tense between you two, if you need to talk to someone, I need you to come to me. I can help you get through this but you have to let me know if there's any problems . . . I'm going to tell Deputy Director Bishop that you're fine, but when the trial gets closer, I'm going to recommend that you two come and see me at least once a week."

It sounded like a colossal waste of time to Brennan, but if Sweets was going to tell Bishop that they were fine for the moment then she felt they could agree to his terms. "Fine. It will be a waste or our time, but I think we can agree to your terms." She turned her attention towards Booth and saw him nod his head. "I need to get back to work." Brennan stood up and clasped Booth's hand waiting for him to stand.

Once Booth was up, he stared at Sweets for a few moments. "This case we had. We have cases like this one from time to time. They're tragic, but I can put it away when it's done. I don't have a choice. I can't dwell on other people's screwed up lives. There's too many of them and I can't let them affect my life."

Sweets understood what Booth was telling him. Once the partners were out of the room, he exhaled deeply. The partners were fascinating, but they were a little draining to deal with.

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	48. Chapter 48

(The Knight on the Grid)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

"Agent Booth, may I talk to you?" Ukrainian Embassy Security Chief Petro Oliynyk stood respectfully outside Booth's office and waited to be invited in. "It is important."

Surprised to see Petro standing in his doorway, Booth stood up and waved him in. "Sure, Petro. What can I do for you?"

Using caution, Petro closed the door behind him once he was in the office and stood facing Booth. "I have read in the newspaper about the young woman who was found buried in a coffin at the abandoned school, Kathy Chen. Her parents didn't pay a ransom to a kidnapper and Kathy died. I have the facts correct, yes?"

"Yeah, you do." Not sure why Petro was interested, Booth motioned for him to sit on the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat . . . Do you know something about that case?"

"No, I do not." Petro sat down and crossed his legs. "I am here about a case that may be related. I didn't want to call it in to the police because I don't know all of the facts about Kathy Chen. I have to assume there are things the public doesn't know . . . I um . . . I wanted to talk to you since you were the agent involved in Kathy's case."

His interested piqued, Booth hoped that Petro had something that might help them with the Gravedigger case. "Sure, go ahead."

Clearing his throat, Petro glanced at the window then back at Booth. "I am here with the permission of Ambassador Doroshenko . . . Um, there was an incident that involved the Ambassador's attaché three months ago. Alina Bondar the wife of Leonid Bondar was kidnapped while she was out shopping. Someone called Leonid on his cell phone and told him that he must provide $500,000 in ransom money and it must be wired to an account in an offshore bank account. If the money appeared in a certain amount of time then we would get Alina back . . . Agent Booth, this was a bad situation. The Ukrainian government cannot give in to terrorists and kidnappers. If we did, no one in our embassies anywhere would be safe. Leonid was beside himself of course. He didn't have that kind of money and neither did I . . . I tried to track down Alina in the time frame that he was given by the kidnapper. I found out where she shopped and I found her car. No one had witnessed the kidnapping. There was no security camera that was working where she parked. They were all broken. It was hopeless. I wanted to contact you, but I was forbidden by the Ambassador to involve the FBI. The time came and went and we have not seen Alina since then."

The story Petro was telling him was becoming all too familiar to Booth. "I've been involved in three of these cases so far. One of them involved my partner, Dr. Brennan and her co-worker Dr. Hodgins. The other two cases involved three young people who were kidnapped and were never seen alive again. We were able to find my partner and Dr. Hodgins because they were able to send us a message telling us where they were . . . the two boys and the girl died and their bodies were found by accident."

"Yes, I know. I have read about these cases in the newspaper." Petro wasn't sure what he wanted Booth to do, but he wanted the agent to hear his story. "We have sent most of the family members of the Embassy staff back home. A few wives refuse to abandon their husbands, but for the most part all of the families are back in the Ukraine . . . Leonid was devastated with the loss of Alina and we hope to find her body someday, but in the meantime, the Ambassador and I felt you should know about Alina. I am here to answer any questions that you may have. I hope it will help you to find this terrorist and stop him before he kills anyone else. We are also hoping that Alina's body is found. Leonid needs to see her again."

"Thanks for coming in." Booth pulled a notebook from his desk drawer and picked up a pen. After jotting down some notes, he looked up. "Where was her car found?"

"Chevy Chase Pavilion parking garage . . . Alina was driving a light green 2006 Toyota Corolla." Petro removed a notebook from his jacket pocket and checked his notes. "The call was made to Leonid at 3 in the afternoon. I found her car at 4:15. I checked the cameras in the area and someone had damaged them. I contacted mall security and they said the cameras had been broken at around noon. They called for a repairman, but the man wasn't supposed to arrive until later that afternoon."

After jotting down the times, Booth looked up from his notebook. "Did Alina shop there regularly? I mean if Alina was targeted and the cameras were broken a few hours before she arrived, she had to shop there often." When it came to the Gravedigger, predictability was important. He had to know where his victims were going to be if he wanted to kidnap them without anyone noticing.

"Yes, Alina shopped there every Thursday afternoon." Embarrassed, Petro could see that Alina's habits were too ingrained. When he got back to the Embassy, he planned on having a long conversation with the staff about making sure their routines weren't too routine. "Leonid told me that Alina loved shopping there and had shopped there every Thursday afternoon for about a year . . . I should have made sure she varied her schedule. She was too predictable."

"You didn't know she was going to be targeted." Booth knew that Petro was feeling guilty but Alina's kidnapping wasn't his fault. "Her husband wasn't rich and he was an attaché. The kidnapper was probably counting on the Ukrainian government to pay the ransom and when they didn't, he didn't care if Alina lived or died. We're trying to track this guy down, but he's pretty sharp. So far, he hasn't left behind any witness, no finger prints, nothing to point to who he is . . . We think he's in law enforcement."

Slowly nodding his head, Petro saw the possibility. "Yes, that would make sense. He would know if the families contacted the FBI or some other law enforcement agency. He would also know what to do to keep the evidence to a minimum . . . I hate this man, Booth. I hate him and I want him dead." He didn't care if Booth knew that or not.

"Believe me, Petro. I want this guy caught. He kidnapped Dr. Brennan, my partner and I vowed that I would get this guy someday. Some of his victims have died alone, terrorized . . . the two boys and the girl that have been found hadn't got out of their teen years yet. They were still kids really."

"Horrifying." Sad that there was so much evil in the world, Petro sighed. "Alina was 26 years old. She was very young . . . we all assume she is dead since she had not returned to us, Agent Booth."

He understood. "Yeah, I get it, Petro." Booth checked his notebook and then turned his attention back to his guest. "Is Leonid still in the country?"

"Yes, he refuses to leave this country until we find Alina or Alina's body. Leonid hopes she is still alive, but I have no such hope. She is dead. I wish I had spoken to you sooner, but this incident happened after we found the body in the dumpster behind our Embassy. Ambassador Doroshenko was afraid this was also the work of the Russians, but as time has gone by, he has decided that Alina's kidnapping had nothing to do with the Russians and their games. I wish I had more information for you. Alina's car is at the Embassy if you wish to look at it, but it wasn't her personal car and other's have driven it, before her disappearance and afterward. My team and I went over the car when we brought it back to the Embassy, but the only fingerprints that were on or in the car belonged to the people who have been assigned the car. There was nothing in the trunk, so I assumed she had been kidnapped before she had started shopping. I found no blood in the car or on it either. I checked the parking garage and I could find no blood on the garage floor. It was as if she had vanished in to thin air . . . her purse was taken, but her credit cards have never been used since she disappeared. No one has turned in her driving license either."

"I'm sorry for your loss, Petro." Booth didn't know what else he could do at the moment. "I'll have someone arrange to look at the car. Maybe they'll find something, but if they don't . . . well at least we tried. I plan to contact the security department at the mall and see what cameras were available. I'd like to see any video they have of the entrance and exit to the garage. It's been a while and I don't know how long they keep their videos, but it's worth a try."

Their meeting over, Petro stood up. "I don't know if I helped or hurt your investigation, Agent Booth, but it is what it is. My hands were tied, but now they are untied. If you need my help in anyway, please let me know. I will drop everything and come to your aide."

"Thanks for coming in Petro." Booth stood up and shook the man's hand. "If I find Alina, I'll let you know."

"But I will not hold my breath Agent Booth. I fear it will take an accident to find Alina's body like the young woman Kathy Chen."

As he watched the Security Chief leave, Booth noticed that he had a new email on his PC from Brennan. The skeleton he and Hodgins had found the previous evening was old, so it hadn't been put together recently.

Booth was currently working on the Gormogon case and he had hoped that the new skeleton would be their lucky break, but so far it wasn't the help he thought it should be. His frustration was growing with both the Gravedigger and the Gormogon cases. He needed more clues, he needed witnesses, he needed a lucky break, but so far all he had was questions and no answers. Who was the Gravedigger? Who was Gormogon? At least they had some new clues to work on with the Gormogon case. He hadn't been happy when they'd found the skeleton made of human bone in the mausoleum since that meant there was more than one serial killer out there. God, he hated serial killers and he really hated cannibals.

After he arranged to send some FBI techs over to the Ukrainian Embassy to examine Alina's car, he called Brennan and let her know about Petro's visit. He knew that Brennan was just as anxious as he was to capture the Gravedigger. The Gravedigger had put her through hell and the man needed to pay for what he'd done.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

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	49. Chapter 49

(The Santa in the Slush)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

They weren't getting anywhere with the Gravedigger case or the Gormoggon case and Booth was feeling frustrated. He worried that the Gravedigger was still active even though the kidnapper had to know that the FBI was now looking for him. The thought that people were being terrorized by someone that didn't care if they lived or died made Booth more anxious to find him, but so far they didn't even have a suspect.

After Petro Oliynyk had come to him about the kidnapping of Alina Bondar, Booth had contacted the company in charge of security for the Chevy Chase Pavilion parking garage. The company had provided copies of videos taken of the entrances and exits at around the time of the kidnapping of Alina. Aware that they needed something to kickstart the investigation, Angela said she would look at them when she had the time and see if anyone on the tapes had a criminal record or was in law enforcement. Booth hoped that Angela would see something or someone that stood out and he'd have a suspect. For the moment, he was waiting for something to point towards the Gravedigger and he hated that there wasn't anything he could do to speed up the process. The only good thing he had to look forward to was the fact that Christmas was almost upon them and he and Brennan would be celebrating Christmas with Parker that year.

"Bones, I'm going to put up a big tree this year. We have the room." Booth was standing in the living room studying the best place to put up the tree. "Maybe I can use all of my decorations this year. I've never had a tree big enough to do that."

Glad that Booth was happy about something even if it was just a tree, Brennan stood next to him and pointed at the picture window. "We can move some of the furniture forward away from the window and the tree could go there."

Surprised that Brennan was actually trying to help him to make plans for the tree, Booth placed his arm around her shoulders. "That's a great spot, Bones. We'll be able to see it outside . . . You should be happy that I'm not Ralphie's father. He wanted to display his leg lamp in the picture window. It drove his wife nuts." Booth loved the movie 'A Christmas Story' and tried to watch it every year.

Since Brennan had seen the movie with Booth the previous year, she actually knew what he was alluding to. "That wouldn't be very festive or in the spirit of Christmas."

"Yeah, it wouldn't." Booth shook his head and removed his arm from around her shoulders. "I'll go look at Christmas trees this weekend. If I'm lucky I'll find something right away and I can decorate the tree after I get it home. I want to get everything decorated before Parker comes over for Christmas. He'll love it . . . Oh, I have to buy a new ornament for him and for us for the tree." Booth was getting excited. He really needed a break and this was his favorite time of the year.

Amused, Brennan kissed his cheek. "Just make sure that the tree can actually fit through the door when you buy it and it's not taller than the ceiling."

Oooooooooooooooooo

Staring at his decorated tree, Booth wondered what he had done to deserve what was happening to him. Rebecca had called him that morning and cheerfully told him that Parker would be in Vermont with her for Christmas. She and Drew were taking a skiing vacation and she wanted Parker with her. Furious, Booth had tried to argue that he had Parker for Christmas and reminded her that Drew wasn't Parker's father, but she had hung up on him and she wouldn't answer her phone when he tried to call her back.

He considered taking his tree down and throwing it away, but he knew he couldn't really do that. Brennan was living with him and he had to think of her not just himself. He didn't want to spoil the holiday for her, so he knew that he'd have to accept what was happening and celebrate Christmas with Parker when he got back from Vermont. In the meantime, he had to make sure that Brennan had a nice holiday. He knew that she didn't really like Christmas since that particular holiday had a lot of baggage for her, but he hoped that someday she'd see that it wasn't Christmas' fault that her parents had abandoned her a few days before the holiday.

With nothing else to do, he walked out into the garage and found a box of outdoor Christmas lights and decided to decorate the front yard. He hoped he might capture some of the spirit of Christmas if he moved on with his plans. The previous year had been their first year in their new house and Booth hadn't done much more that decorate a tree. After seeing the houses on his street decorated with lights, mangers and an assortment of Christmas characters, Booth had decided he would decorate his yard too. With Parker away for the holiday, he felt that he was just going through the motions, but he had to try for Brennan's sake. He would not be a Scrooge because his Christmas wouldn't be perfect. After all, when had he ever had a perfect Christmas anyway?

Once the yard was decorated, Booth took the boxes back into the garage and called his grandfather. "Hey Pops, I was wondering if you'd like to spend Christmas with Bones and me. I have a tree up and the yard is decorated. We'd love to have you over Pops. Maybe you could stay for a few days."

 _Thanks Seeley. I think I'd like that. I haven't seen Parker in ages. It'll be nice to see him opening presents. It's been a while since I've seen that._

"I'm sorry, Pops. Rebecca is taking him on a skiing trip. I'm not going to see Parker until after Christmas."

 _What? You always get Parker during Christmas!_

"Not this year, Pops. I hope you'll come anyways. I'd love to have you here."

 _Of course, I'm coming, Shrimp. Of course, I'm coming._

"Thanks Pops."

 _You're welcome . . . I think I'll stay for a few days. Christmas is a week from Tuesday. I'll be there on Thursday evening if that's okay with you and Temperance._

"Of course, Pops. You can stay as long as you want to. Thanks for coming."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Brennan felt sad for her partner. He loved his son so much and to have Rebecca destroy his Christmas because she had the power to do it made Brennan despise the woman for her selfishness. She had been pleased to hear that Hank was coming to stay with them during the holidays and she decided to cook a traditional Christmas dinner to help liven up the festivities. Booth had bought a turkey and it was in the refrigerator, but she wanted to add to the festive meal. During her lunch hour, she bought a wide variety of foods including a tofu turkey for herself and drove them home. Once she was back at the office, she logged onto her PC and looked for something to gift Booth on Christmas Day as well as Hank and Parker. She was willing to pay express shipping, so she wasn't concerned that the gifts wouldn't arrive before Christmas Day. If Rebecca was bound and determined to ruin Booth's Christmas then it would be up to her to fix the mess she had made and make the holiday a special one for her lover.

The case they were working on was a bizarre one and Brennan found it strange to be investigating the death of a Santa Claus impersonator. It just seemed that if anything could go wrong to spoil Booth's holiday then it was happening that year. While they worked on the case, Brennan found herself arguing with Booth about lying to children about 'naughty or nice' lists and that just seemed to add to the strangeness of the situation they were in. She didn't approve of lying to anyone let alone children, but Booth told her that it was acceptable because it was the magic of Christmas. She had her doubts, but she really didn't want to argue with Booth over something that foolish.

Of course, she had her own problems. Her father and brother were in prison waiting for Max's trial and Max wanted the family to get together for Christmas. Brennan didn't want to participate because prison seemed depressing enough as it was. Having a family get together in a trailer in the prison yard seemed far from the Christmases she'd had in her youth before her family threw her away. She hadn't celebrated Christmas for many years and didn't start again until she became romantically involved with Booth. His love of Christmas was infectious and it was hard to remain aloof when the man played Christmas carols, made gallons of eggnog, baked dozens of Christmas cookies and gave her generous gifts. Though she didn't believe in God, she did believe that sharing Booth's joy of the season helped strengthen their relationship and the sight of Booth in Christmas underwear and socks was always amusing and rather arousing.

"Come on Bones. I'll get Caroline to let you and the Brennan family have one of the conjugal trailers and you can have a family gathering. I'll make you some gingerbread men and . . . you know you can't have a tree, right? Ornaments make pretty good weapons." Booth snapped his fingers. "I know a way around that . . . Go ahead and plan the get together Bones. Um, this might be the last time you can celebrate with Max, depending on what happens at the trial. I think you should go ahead and do it. I bet it won't be as bad as you think it will be."

Booth's reminder that her father was going to be tried for murder soon sent a chill down her spine, but what he was saying made sense. If her father was found guilty and given the death penalty, then he'd be placed on death row and there would be no opportunity for a family get together after that. She realized that she had to think of the future and stop thinking of herself. "You're right. I didn't think about that . . . I will ask Caroline about the trailer and make arrangements for Amy and her children to come the day before Christmas to see Max. I appreciate the offer of the cookies, Booth. I'll bring some festive decorations, paper of course so the guards won't confiscate them. Thank you."

His arms around her, Booth gave her a warm hug and a passionate kiss. "You're welcome."

Oooooooooooooooo

On Christmas Eve, Brennan, Amy and her daughters arrived at the prison and were escorted to the trailer they were going to use for the family reunion. Caroline hadn't been inclined to give Max a trailer for any reason, but Booth's invitation to Christmas dinner reminded her that family should come first. Her family was small, consisting of her daughter, her brother, two cousins and one nephew. She considered Booth part of her family and if the man wanted his girlfriend to have a family moment with her father and brother then who was she deny him that request? It was a harmless request and wouldn't cost her anything.

Much to Rebecca's ire, Parker had slipped out of the house that afternoon, took a bus downtown and had asked the nearest police officer he could find to take him to the FBI building where his Daddy worked. Surprised to see his son, Booth had called Rebecca, listened to her curse him for putting ideas into their son's head and calmly informed her that Parker's adventure was the boy's idea not his. "I wouldn't do that Rebecca. I wouldn't endanger my son like that. He used some money from his piggy bank for the bus ride and he was smart enough to find a cop, told him his Dad worked for the FBI and asked the policeman to bring him here."

 _Are you sure you didn't put him up to this?"_

"No way! I don't want Parker riding on buses by himself, are you kidding me? This was his idea. He doesn't want to go to Vermont. He wants to spend Christmas with me."

 _I don't know whether I believe you or not, but . . . Parker can stay with you, but you have to drive him up to Vermont the day after. I don't want to reward him too much for scaring the hell out of me. I'll have a talk with him when he gets here, but in the meantime, just . . . just take care of him, Seeley._

"I will and I'll drive him up there on Wednesday." The call ended Booth shook his finger at this son. "Parker, you have to promise me that you'll never run away from your mother like that again. What you did was dangerous and you scared your mother. She's been looking for you for a couple of hours and called the police to help her look for you."

"Gosh, I didn't mean to scare her . . . I promise, Dad." Parker didn't see what the big deal was since nothing bad had happened, but he had learned when he was younger that it was just easier to apologize for something you did instead of arguing with an adult. He never won those arguments anyway.

Oooooooooooooooooo

"Thank you for the Christmas tree, Booth. It was lovely." Brennan had been surprised when Booth showed up outside the prison with a medium sized decorated Christmas tree. He and Parker had waved at them from the parking log and Brennan had felt nothing but love for Booth and his kindness. He had promised her that he would get a Christmas tree for the Brennan family reunion and he had come through in a surprising way. Currently the decorated tree was now at the homeless shelter downtown and Brennan appreciated that Booth had thought of others during the holiday. He was a good man and she was so proud of him when he did things like that.

"You're welcome." Booth had read Parker a Christmas story and the boy was now asleep in his bedroom. Hank had called it a night an hour earlier and now the couple had the living room to themselves. "You know, this Christmas didn't turn out too bad after all. We caught the guy who killed Santa Claus, Parker is going to be with us for Christmas Day and so is Pops and Caroline is coming over for dinner tomorrow evening. Christmas is about family and I feel blessed that I got to spend it with my family this year."

Pleased that Booth was so relaxed, Brennan snuggled against his side. "Well, I don't believe in God, but I do agree that it's nice to have a family to celebrate holidays with. I invited Cam, Angela and Hodgins over for dinner tomorrow, but they all have plans. We will have plenty of food and desserts. If there is someone else you'd like to invite to dinner I think we could accommodate them."

He appreciated her offer and thought about it for a second. "Let me call Petro and see if he'd like to come. He'll probably turn me down, but it won't hurt to ask him."

She hadn't realized that Booth considered the Ukrainian Embassy Security Chief a friend, but she had met the man and he seemed pleasant. "Angela is still hoping that she'll find something on the tapes from the parking garage that will point to the Gravedigger." Brennan had appreciated that Petro had come to them and told them about the kidnapping of one his nationals. They needed as much help as possible at the moment.

"Yeah, if he comes, let's not talk about the kidnapping or the Gravedigger. It's Christmas and I want to enjoy it." Reality was going to come crashing back into their lives after the holidays and he wanted to hold it off as long as possible. "Hey, I have new Christmas underwear. Do you want to see it?" Booth had found them in the mall when he was looking for a present for Brennan and thought she might appreciate the bright red underwear with little snowmen printed on them.

"Oh well, yes, I am very interested." Brennan stood up and waited for Booth to stand. "I do love your festive underwear Booth."

"Yeah?" He clasped her hand and walked with her to their bedroom. "I was thinking of you when I bought them."

Chuckling, Brennan followed him down the hallway. "Well, I will appreciate them more when I'm allowed to take them off of you and they're on the floor."

Ooooooooooooooooo

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	50. Chapter 50

(The Baby in the Bough)

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I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan found herself in a strange situation and she wasn't sure if she should blame herself or not. She had tried to entertain a baby they had found at a crime scene with a key and the child had swallowed it. She'd never really had any contact with babies besides Parker before and she hadn't known they would swallow unpalatable things like metal keys. Parker had never attempted to eat a key before in her presence, so she felt it was unfair for Booth to be upset with her for not knowing that particular rule about infants. Now she and Booth had to keep the child until he had passed the key in a bowel movement while doing their jobs trying to find the killer of the child's mother.

Adding pressure to the situation, Max's trial was coming up in a week and Brennan was growing increasingly nervous. Her father was standing trial for the murder of Deputy Director Kirby and it was likely he was going to be found guilty. The preponderance of evidence would insure that. She hoped that the jury would give her father a life sentence, but since Kirby had been a Federal Employee it seemed more likely that they would hand down the death penalty. If Max was given the death penalty then sooner or later, he would be executed and she would become an orphan. Her family was so tiny that the loss of her father would mean all she had left in her life was her brother and Booth. She had been abandoned as a child and she had suffered from that abandonment, but she had got her family back in the last year and she knew she would be devasted if she lost her father again.

A knock on her office door interrupted her as she was feeding Andy some baby food. The child seemed to love cooked apples and he ate them with enthusiasm. "What do want Dr. Sweets? You can see that I am busy."

Aware that Brennan wasn't a fan of his, Sweets knew that she was going to resist his efforts to help her, but it needed to be done. "I know that you and Booth are busy working on a case and um, taking care of a baby, so I didn't want to insist that you keep your appointment to see me today, so I've come to you. I'd like to talk to you . . . Your father's trial is coming up in a few days and I wanted to check in with you and see how you're doing."

"I'm fine and very busy, Dr. Sweets as you can clearly see." Brennan continued to feed the child.

"Yes, I can see that . . . Are you ready for the trial? I know you've hired a very good lawyer to represent your father, at least that's what Booth told me." Sitting down on the chair near the sofa, Sweets crossed his legs to show Brennan that he wasn't going anywhere. "I know that you and Booth won't be testifying against your father during the trial due to conflict of interest, but will you be testifying for him?"

She paused to wipe some bits of apples from Andy's chin and then answered. "Booth is not going to testify. He was the arresting officer and he doesn't feel he has anything that can be of positive use to Dad's case. Max actually resisted arrest and hurt Booth when Booth took him in to custody. I don't think the jury would be receptive to that particular piece of information."

Surprised with that revelation, Sweets hadn't known that Booth had been hurt. "Hurt? Hurt how?"

"Booth and my father ended up in a fist fight and Max is not a fair fighter." Brennan didn't plan to add to that. "I don't know if I'm going to testify or not. Mr. Barron hasn't asked me to."

It was obvious that Brennan wasn't going to add to her story about Booth getting hurt, so he'd have to try to get that information from Booth if he was willing to talk to him. "Is there anything I can do help you, Dr. Brennan? If you'd like to talk to me about your father or the upcoming trial, I am available. Sometimes just talking about a situation, sharing something about that situation can have a calming effect."

"There is nothing to talk about Dr. Sweets. My father is going on trial for first degree murder. My friends and co-workers will do everything in their power to have him convicted and they should. I will not blame them for doing their jobs. It is what they are paid to do and my father is a murderer . . . Mr. Barron has hired Dr. Edison to work for him as an expert witness during the trial. Clark was not involved in the Kirby or Delaney cases, so there will be no conflict of interest. He is quite good and I have offered my expertise if he needs it . . . I feel that I have done all that I can do to help my father. We will have to wait and see how the jury responds to the evidence and to Mr. Barron's defense."

Clearly Brennan was as calm as she could be and she seemed to be handling her father's trial as well as could be expected. "Has Angela been able to come up with anything from the recordings at the Chase Pavilion parking garage? Booth said she was still looking at the videos and was writing up a list of people that they might consider suspects . . . people involved in law enforcement?"

"Yes, so far she has added ten people to the list that Booth is interested in." Andy was finished eating and Brennan gently wiped his face with a damp cloth. "Booth suggested that she look at the recordings at around the time that the security cameras were broken in the parking garage. We're waiting for the security company to send the recordings over, perhaps today or tomorrow." Lifting Andy into her arms, she held him against her shoulder and gently patted his back.

"Good, I'm glad that you have something to work with right now. I know that case and the Gormogon case isn't moving as fast as you would want it to." Sweets saw the annoyed look on Brennan's face and knew that she had taken his words as condemnation. "I just meant that I know that you don't have a lot of clues to work with Dr. Brennan. I didn't mean anything else. I have faith in you and Booth's abilities and I'm sure that you're going to solve those cases. It just might take longer than you want it to."

"We are working on those cases when we can. Everyone is doing their best." Brennan heard the child burp and placed him back in his pumpkin seat. "Booth and I are driving up to West Virginia in an hour or so. We have a lead we have to follow up there."

He knew he was being dismissed, but Sweets was certain that for now, Brennan was doing as well as she could be. He intended to be at the trial and he would offer her solace if she needed it then. "I'll see you later, Dr. Brennan."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Their case solved, Brennan still couldn't believe how angry she had been and how she had reacted towards their suspected murderer. The thought of running someone off the road with a baby in the vehicle, then killing the mother with no thought about her missing baby made her so angry she was still fuming about it. "He didn't care that Andy was in the car when he forced the car off the road. After the car was stopped, he didn't bother to see if the child was in the car or not. He didn't care . . . I just want to go back and hit him again."

Amused, Booth tried not to smile as his partner fumed about Chip Barnett and his callousness. "Easy Bones, we got him and he's going to pay for killing Meg Taylor and for endangering little Andy."

"Yes, he will." Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts and stared out of the truck's side window as they drove through the countryside. "I suppose we must turn Andy over to the Grants now. It is the wish of his mother."

"Yeah, we can't keep little Andy." Booth had grown fond of the baby boy and it made him wish he could be become a father again, but Brennan had made it clear in the past that she didn't want to become mother. He tried to understand and he had no intention of trying to pressure her into doing anything she didn't want to do. He accepted that Parker would probably be his only child. "He's going to be alright with the Grants. They love him already, so he's going to have the family he needs."

Calmer, Brennan nodded her head. "Parker is the only child I have ever had to take care of and he was older than Andy when I met him . . . I learned a few things taking care of Andy. It was an interesting learning experience."

"Yeah, babies can be a handful, but it's worth it." Signaling left, he drove up the entrance ramp and onto the highway. "Sweets came by and saw me for a few minutes this morning. We missed his appointment, but he let it go. Max's trial is coming up and he was just checking in to make sure we're okay . . . He's a good kid. Nosy, but a good kid."

"He came by and saw me just before you arrived to pick me up at the Lab." Brennan turned in her seat so she could look at her partner. "I have thought about the trial. I don't really have any hope that he will be found innocent. We know he killed Kirby and Delaney and the evidence is incontrovertible. I think Max will be facing the death penalty."

Booth was certain that Brennan was right, but he wanted to be optimistic for her. "Hey, I've seen juries look at evidence and still find the defendant not guilty. You have too. Max may be lucky and walk . . . but if he isn't Bones . . . if he isn't lucky, I want you to remember it will be awhile before they execute him. Sometimes it takes years you know that. Don't worry about it right now. Let's get through the trial and see what happens."

"Yes, you're right." Brennan sighed, "I am putting the horse before the wagon . . . cart . . . wagon?"

"Cart, you almost had that one." Booth noticed a State Trooper speeding up behind him then pass him going faster than he thought was safe for the winding highway. "When we get back, I'll call the Grants and let them know we found Meg's killer. I'll check with Judge Brown and see when they can have custody of Andy and then arrange to turn him over to them."

Watching the State Trooper leave the highway at the next exit, Brennan nodded her head. "Yes, Andy knows the Grants. He will be more comfortable in their care."

Oooooooooooooooooo

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	51. Chapter 51

(The Verdict in the Story)

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Ooooooooooooooooooooo

Booth knew that this was probably going to be a long week or two. He had no idea how long the trial would last, but the charge against Max was capital murder and that meant that the judge wouldn't rush it. Both the defense attorney and the prosecutor would be given sufficient time to present their sides of the case. With Booth and Brennan forbidden to participate in the prosecution, all they could do was sit in the courtroom and watch the proceedings. So far, David Barron was keeping his line of defense a closely held secret except for a few. The lawyer had talked to Brennan, Russ and Max about what he planned to present during the trial, but Booth hadn't been invited to those meetings. The agent was sure that Barron didn't trust him and he was fine with that. That meant the lawyer had Max's interests as a priority and that was all they could ask of him.

He could sense that Brennan was nervous, but there wasn't a lot he could do about it. During the trial both Booth and Brennan were not going to be allowed to participate in any new cases that might come up. Booth had been told he could work on the Gormogon and the Gravedigger cases, but Brennan was suspended from all cases including those two cases until the trial was over. Of course, Brennan had been outraged and protested the temporary ban, but Caroline Julian didn't care and told Brennan that she would have to accept the ban because the ban had come from the Attorney General and no one was going to override his decision.

"I can be objective." Brennan sat in the SUV and fumed while Booth drove them to court. "My working on cases should have nothing to do with Max's case."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth drove up the ramp to the parking garage. "It was the decision of The Attorney General of the United States, Bones. No one is going to get him to change his mind . . . Look I know you'd be objective, but we can't do anything about it. I can't work on new cases either." He spotted a free parking space and took it. "It's just two or three weeks." His truck now parked, Booth pulled the key from the ignition and pocketed the key. "Besides, I think we should be here for the trial and not working on cases. You know I'm right."

"I do, it's just galling telling me that I can't be objective about other cases because my . . . because Max is on trial."

"Yeah, but I guess they don't trust me either. Just do what I'm doing and think of it as a weird kind of vacation. Not a fun vacation, but a vacation . . . Okay?" Booth slid out of the truck and walked around to the back of the SUV to wait for Brennan. "Maybe not a vacation, but a paid timeout."

She knew what he meant even if he seemed to be unsure himself. "They are paying us to attend the trial or stay home, I understand." Brennan took Booth's hand and walked with him to the elevator. "I knew this was coming and I still don't think I'm prepared."

Oooooooooooooooooo

The case against Max was overwhelming against him. The preponderance of evidence was guaranteed to sway the jury against Max and David Barron was trying to find a way to spoil that evidence. Clark Edison had examined the remains of Robert Kirby and surprisingly he had found that Dr. Zach Addy had made a serious mistake. The murder weapon that had been presented to the jury was not the actual the murder weapon. The weapon used to kill Kirby had a hilt and the one presented to the jury did not. Irritated, the Judge gave FBI Special Agents Charlie Burns and Morris Harris the rest of the day to find the murder weapon or the trial would be over. Judge Marcus Haddoes did not appreciate sloppiness and to have put a man on trial and claim to have the murder weapon when the prosecutor didn't, meant that the court had been made to look foolish. Haddoes didn't appreciate that and Caroline Julian knew that.

Once the trial was recessed, Booth and Brennan went home to await the arrival of Burns and Harris. Since Kirby had been killed in their home, Brennan assumed that the weapon was there.

"Why Bones? Wouldn't Max have taken it with him?" Booth opened the front door and entered the house behind Brennan. "It would have been the smart thing to do."

Once she was in the living room, Brennan looked around at the various pieces of art and antiquities she owned and she knew that it was possible the weapon was in that room. "I don't know if Max expected Kirby to be in this house or not when he arrived. It is certain he confronted Kirby in the living room since that was where we found the pool of blood. I have several weapons in my collection that would have been available for Max to use." She strode over to her shelves and searched her collection making sure not to touch anything. Turning to face Booth, she pointed at the misericorde. "This is probably what he used. It's a medieval copper dagger used for delivering a final fatal blow, also known as the 'coup de grace'.

"That looks about like Max's style." Booth sighed, left the room, retrieved two bottles of beer from the fridge and returned to the living room where he gave one of the bottles to Brennan. "Harris and Charlie will probably bring Zach to look over your stuff. If that isn't the murder weapon then there is no way they'll find the real weapon before the judge's deadline."

Taking the bottle, Brennan twisted off the top and took a sip of the cold beer. "What should we do while we wait?"

An afternoon game on, Booth walked over to the couch, sat down and turned on the TV. "We can watch some of the game until they show up . . . or we can watch something on the Discovery Channel."

Tired and feeling miserable, Brennan sat next to Booth, leaned back and closed her eyes. "You can watch the game."

It wasn't long before a knock on the front door drew their attention. Placing his empty bottle down on the coffee table, Booth let the two agents and Zach into his house. "I suppose you have a warrant."

A slight smile on his face, Harris handed Booth the folded sheet of paper. "You know I'm not going to screw that up." Standing next to Booth, they watched Charlie and Zach start to examine the contents of the living room. "We all know that if it's not here there's no way we'll find it, not today."

Watching Zach study Brennan's collectibles, Booth knew that the squint would find it. "Yeah."

"I found it." With his hands covered in latex gloves, Zach picked up the dagger and held it up for all to see. "I believe this is the murder weapon."

Sad for both Brennan and Booth, Harris patted Booth on his shoulder. "Sorry man."

Once the agents and Zach were gone with the weapon in their possession, Booth returned to the couch and sat down. "Do you want to go back to court this afternoon? David will continue his defense, but it won't be finished for a few days."

"I think I should be there." Once she was standing, Brennan walked over to where they'd had to strip the wooden floor to get rid of the big blood stain the previous year. "He's guilty, Booth. Max is going to be found guilty."

Sympathetic, Booth moved over to where his lover was standing, pulled her into his embrace and let her weep for a few minutes. Once she was calmer, he pulled away, walked over to the coffee table, grabbed the remote and turned off the TV. "Don't give up, Bones. David found something to put a monkey wrench into Caroline's case. He might do it again."

Oooooooooooooooo

It was hopeless and Brennan knew it. David was going to lose his case and Max was going to be found guilty. She now had a decision to make. She didn't want to make a decision that would affect Booth's life as well as hers, but she knew she couldn't tell him what she planned to do. Booth was in a relationship with her and he would do everything he could to stop her from risking her freedom for the freedom of her father. She knew he loved her and he wouldn't want to risk losing her even if it saved Max's life.

It was a strange situation for her. Brennan loved her father and hated him at the same time. He had caused her a lot of pain both physically and mentally when her parents had abandoned her and she had almost died at the hands of her foster parents, but he was her father and she still felt some loyalty to him. She didn't know why and she couldn't explain it to herself let alone anyone else. The worst part about this was it made her feel like she wasn't in control of herself. It was confusing and unnerving and yet she knew she would just have to accept that there were certain things that she would never understand. Maybe once this was over, she might get Booth to help her understand, but for now, she had to do this thing without Booth. She just dreaded what his reaction would be.

Oooooooooooooooo

Unable to believe what he was hearing Booth sat in court and listened as David Barron began to build a case against Brennan the next day. As the trial progressed, he pointed out that Brennan has been at the scene of the murder of Robert Kirby, at the seminary and the rooftop where Robert Kirby's body had been burned. To Booth's horror, Sweets sat in front of the jury and said that Brennan was hyper-rational and was capable of rationalizing almost anything including murder. Booth found it unbelievable that anyone could think Brennan was capable of murder. She valued life and could never murder anyone. Much to his relief, Caroline called him up to the stand to refute David's efforts to place the blame of the murder onto Brennan's shoulders.

"She was with me all day." He stared at Brennan and shook his head. "The day Kirby was killed she was with me."

But David Barron had questions of his own. "How did your son Parker get home from school that day?"

Shocked, Booth focused on Brennan and tried to remain calm. "We talked on the phone. We were only apart for an hour."

"So, plenty of time, wasn't it Agent Booth?" It made David ill knowing he was using Booth to get what he wanted, but it was what Brennan wanted and his client deserved a chance. "Plenty of time for Dr. Brennan to kill Kirby then hide the body from you until she could find a time to take his body somewhere, burn it and return home . . . She returned to the Lab that evening for a few hours while you worked at the Hoover for a few of hours on a kidnapping case, didn't you? She could have moved Kirby's body then."

His heart racing in his chest, Booth couldn't take his eyes from Brennan's face. He knew what she was trying to do and he was afraid she was going to succeed, but then what? Would she be placed on trial for Kirby's murder and be found guilty? Would he lose her after Max was set free?

Impatient, Judge Haddoes finally spoke up. "The witness will answer the question."

His voice rough from emotion, Booth spoke to Brennan instead of David. "That's a lot of heart, Bones."

"Answer the question Agent Booth."

Desperate, Booth tried to persuade the jury that Max's lawyer was wrong. "Could Bones have killed Kirby? Temperance Brennan is my partner and I've known her for a long time. I've faced down death with her . . . Sweets, he's brilliant, but he's wrong. She could have not done this. She values life. She has dedicated her career to identifying bodies in war torn countries. She's . . . "

"I didn't ask for your opinion about Dr. Brennan's character." David knew that Booth was trying to protect his partner and he had to stop it. "I asked you did she have time?"

He had no choice but to answer the question. "Yes. She had time." He left the stand knowing he might have sealed Brennan's fate. He couldn't protect her from trying to protect her father. Unable to stay, he left the courtroom behind and drove home. He knew that Brennan could get a ride home from Cam, so he wasn't worried about her at the moment.

Once he was home, he changed his clothes, walked out into the back yard with a bottle of Scotch and a glass and sat down on one of the lawn chairs. He was afraid and he wasn't used to being afraid. He knew that the jury could accept what David Barron was selling and set Max free. Knowing Caroline Julian, Booth knew she would be angry and might go after Brennan. Someone had to pay for Kirby's death and he was afraid it would be Brennan. If she was tried and convicted, he might have to stand by and watch her being executed. Could he live with that? He didn't know. Brennan was afraid that she didn't have a big heart, that she wasn't kind, but Booth knew that she was. He had told her many times that she was the kindest person he knew, but she didn't believe him. If anyone needed proof of just how big-hearted she was then this trial proved it.

He drank a few shots of whiskey but wasn't sure how drunk he wanted to get. Staring at the Cherry trees he had planted for Brennan, he wondered if she would live to see them mature.

"Booth?"

He'd heard the back door open and close, but he didn't respond.

"Booth? I need to talk to you." Brennan moved around her mate until she was facing him. Staring at the bleak look on his face, Brennan almost wept. He loved her so much and she had forced him to testify against her. She was afraid that she had crossed a line that Booth would never accept or forgive. Did he hate her? Would he leave her? She didn't know. "I had to do what I did, Booth. The jury could see that the evidence was overwhelmingly against Max. We needed to give them reason to doubt that evidence . . . He's my father, Booth. I had to do something."

Afraid to speak, Booth picked up the bottle of Scotch, stood up and walked past her back into the house. He didn't know what to say to her. He didn't know what to do. He was powerless and he hated feeling like that. Once inside, he placed the Scotch on the counter in the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of water from the fridge. As he drank the water down, Brennan walked into the room, stood near the door and stared at him, not saying anything, not moving.

Once he was done, Booth leaned back on the counter and faced his partner. "What happened in court after I left?"

"David closed the case and it was presented to the jury. They returned a verdict in an hour. Max was found not guilty."

"And now what?" His heart beating hard in his chest, Booth shook his head. "Are you going to be tried next? Did Caroline say anything to you?"

Slowly shaking her head, Brennan didn't have an answer for him. "She didn't say anything."

Taking his phone out of his pant's pocket, Booth made a call. "It's Booth. Are you going after Bones for Kirby's death? . . . I see . . . Thanks Caroline." The call ended Booth placed the phone on the counter. "The case is closed. She knows Max did it and she's not going to take you to trial for something that you didn't do."

Relieved, Brennan nodded her head. "Good . . . Booth . . ."

Before she could say anything, Booth moved across the room and engulfed her in his embrace. "Do not do that ever again. You had no right to risk your life for Max. He murdered two men that we know of and had another man executed in prison, he had no right to expect anything but a guilty verdict. I love you Bones and if this had backfired . . ." He couldn't continue. Holding Brennan against his body, he knew he was holding her too tightly and she had to be uncomfortable, but he couldn't let her go. He just couldn't let her go.

"Booth." She spoke softly, but firmly. "I should have told you what I was going to do, but I knew that you would try to stop me. He's my father, Booth. Max is my father and I couldn't let him be found guilty, not if I could stop it. I knew that I could sow doubt with the jury . . . I won't do it again. I've already told Max that if he ever breaks the law again, I will not lift a finger to help him . . . Booth, I apologize for scaring you. I know I did and I'm sorry."

Able to finally let her go, he stood back, his hands still on her arms. "I can stand anything Bones, I can stand anything, but losing you. I love you too much and I can't lose you."

"Yes, I know." And she did know. She had never felt love like the love Booth showed her. He showed her in many different ways how much he loved her and this was probably the most important moment in her life. "I crossed a line . . . Are you going to leave me?"

"Leave you?" Shocked, Booth stared at Brennan for a few seconds, pulled her closer and kissed her. Their kiss was intense and both knew that they needed each other. Leaving would never be an option for either of them. "Never Bones. Never." He kissed her again and felt the fear melt from him. Brennan was home, safe in his arms and she wasn't going to pay for her stunt in court. "I can't leave you and you can't leave me. We're in this together, always together."

She felt her heart racing and she knew that Booth was right. "Always together, Booth. I love you."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	52. Chapter 52

(The Wannabe in the Weeds)

A/N: this is a reminder that this story is AU.

I don't own Bones, not even a little bit.

Oooooooooooooooooo

The trial was over and Max was a free man. Brennan didn't know what to expect now that her father was free. Would he go back to Coos Bay or would he move to the East Coast? Only time would tell since he disappeared after the trial and she hadn't heard from him since then.

Booth took the time to drive out to the cemetery to lay some flowers on Christine's grave. It had been two years since her body had been found at the Jeffersonian and Mother's Day was coming up. He wanted to honor Brennan's mother and make sure her grave site was being taken care of. When he arrived at the grave, he found a cement urn sitting on top of the grave with wilted fading flowers in the urn. After removing the wilted flowers, he placed his flowers in the container, crossed himself and said a small prayer for her. That done, he looked around and liked what he saw. "They keep this place mown and everything looks nice. I'm glad we chose this place for you . . . Your husband was placed on trial for murder, but he was found not guilty and he's a free man. I'm not sure what his intentions are towards his daughter, but he needs to tread carefully. If he hurts her again, he'll find out that I can fight dirty too . . . Anyway, Happy Mother's Day Mrs. Brennan. Your daughter and son are fine, so you don't need to worry about them."

As he walked back to his SUV carrying the wilted flowers, Booth knew that Max must have visited his wife before he disappeared. He hoped Max understood that abandoning Brennan again would be a mistake. She might be inclined to forgive him once, but not twice.

Oooooooooooooooooo

While they were trying to solve the murder of a singer, Booth became the object of obsession of the victim's stalker girlfriend. Pam Noonan had been in Booth's office for an interview and had seen the picture of Brennan on his credenza along with the picture of Parker, but that didn't seem to deter her. She had asked about Booth's marital status from one of the other agents at the Hoover and she had been told he was single. Single meant available to Pam and she knew that Booth was meant for her.

Unaware that he was being stalked, Booth continued to work with Brennan on their case. They determined that the victim had been obnoxious when dealing with other singers at the karaoke bar he sang at and the fact that he thought it was okay to steal a loan that he and Jason Bergman had got to start up a business made him a less than a sympathetic victim. Tommy Sour had many enemies, but amazingly his murder had been caused by being a bad neighbor. Tommy had irritated his next-door neighbor with loud singing all day and all night and that neighbor had been frantic to stop it. He had killed Tommy to shut up his excessive singing.

The case was closed and Booth decided that he wanted to hear Brennan sing. He had never heard her sing, but while they had been working on their case, she had told him and Sweets that she was an excellent singer and her mother had considered her a better singer than Cindy Lauper. He had tried to get her to sing at that moment, but she refused since she needed a proper venue and a sense of frivolity. The karaoke bar that Tommy had sung in was available and Booth considered that a place of frivolity.

After arranging to have Cam, Sweets, Angela and Hodgins meet them at the Karaoke bar, Booth had driven Brennan to the bar under a false pretense. Once they were there, he cajoled her into singing, daring her to prove that she was better than Cindy Lauper. Not one to turn down a challenge from anyone let alone Booth, Brennan moved onto the stage and started to sing 'Girls Want to Have Fun'.

Surprised, Booth had to admit that his partner had a beautiful singing voice. Excited that his girlfriend was jumping up and down on the stage with such unfettered enthusiasm, he clapped his hands and grinned at her antics. The crowd was smiling and nodding their heads in time to the music while Brennan continued singing. Booth was so proud of her.

Pam Noonan had followed Booth and Brennan to the bar. Furious that Booth was paying attention to Brennan and not to her, Pam had pulled a gun from her purse and shouted at Booth. "Seeley look at me. I'm doing this for us." She aimed her gun at Brennan but was surprised when Booth stood in the way of the bullet that was meant for Brennan. As Booth fell to the floor, she witnessed Brennan throw her microphone to the floor and rush to Booth's side. Pam couldn't bear that Brennan was touching Booth and aimed her gun once more.

Aware that she was in danger, Brennan pulled Booth's gun from his holster and shot Pam in the throat. Dismissing Pam from her mind, she knelt next to Booth and pressed her hands over his gunshot wound while Hodgins called for help.

Stunned, Cam moved over to where Booth lay and knew that he needed professional help. Moving outside onto the sidewalk, she waited for the ambulance to arrive. She hoped to direct them to Booth as soon as they arrived. While she waited, she called Caroline Julian to let her know what had happened.

Hodgins and Angela hovered near where Booth lay and listened to Brennan plead with Booth to stay and not leave her. Tears falling down her cheeks, Angela hugged her chest and stared at Booth while he labored to breathe. Hodgins knelt on the other side of Booth and watched as Brennan's hands became covered in blood. He wanted to take over, but he knew that Brennan would not allow that. He assumed that was why Cam had not interfered and he wouldn't either. His attention torn between Booth and the exit, he was relieved to see two paramedics and two policemen enter the bar with Cam leading the way. "Dr. Brennan, help is here." He was certain that she had heard him, but Brennan continued to talk to Booth while pressing against his wound.

Time of the essence, the paramedics moved Brennan to the side and took over Booth's care. Unwilling to let Brennan remain alone, Hodgins moved over to where she was standing and placed an arm around her shoulders. "Dr. Brennan, he's going to be fine. As soon as they take him out of here, we'll follow the ambulance over to the hospital."

Feeling detached from reality, Brennan monitored the paramedics until they moved out of the building. Running outside, she raced over to Booth's SUV and jumped in with the intention of following him. Realizing that she didn't have the keys, she left the SUV and frantically looked around. Standing next to his car, Hodgins waved at Brennan. "Dr. B over here. Come on, we're going to the hospital." Racing over to Hodgins' car, Brennan opened the back door, dived into the back seat and slammed the door shut. "Go Dr. Hodgins, drive."

Back in his car, Hodgins made sure that Angela had closed the passenger door, started the car and raced after the ambulance. "He's going to be okay. He's going to be fine. He's going to make it. He has to."

Oooooooooooooooooo

The next few hours bordered on the bizarre. Booth was operated on as soon as his vital signs were stabilized. Once he was out of surgery, Brennan found herself in a tug of war with the FBI and the State Department. Deputy Director Jordan Bishop entered Booth's recovery room an hour after his surgery. "Dr. Brennan I need to talk to you about a matter of national security. A few years ago, Booth was working on a case that involved an international terrorist. Booth almost captured the man, but due to some last minute interference by a local police department in Virginia, the man escaped and vowed that he would come back to spit on Booth's grave. No one including Interpol has been able to track the man down and we think we know how we can get to him. We'd like to pretend that Booth is dead and set up a funeral for him. In two weeks, we'll have that funeral and we hope the terrorist will show up and we can arrest him."

"You wish to use Booth as bait?" Brennan stood next to her partner and turned to face the Deputy Director. "Booth is recovering from a wound located in the right side of the pectoral region. The bullet narrowly missed his lung, but it did hit his clavicle. You may not use Booth as a decoy for anything. I have his medical proxy and you may not remove him from this hospital without my permission, if you try, I will contact my lawyer and he will make a lot of noise. That noise will stop whatever your plan happens to be."

Shocked that he was being denied something this important, Bishop tried to reason with Brennan. "It is a matter of national security. The State department has requested that Booth . . ."

"There are always matters of national security, Deputy Director Bishop." Brennan crossed her arms against her breasts. "Booth has served his country both in the Army and in the FBI and he has done many terrible things in the name of national security. I will not allow you to risk his life on the off chance that a terrorist would be stupid enough to attend Booth's funeral. Booth was shot, Deputy Director. He has lost a lot of blood. I will not let you endanger his life for a impromptu plan that may or may not work."

At an impasse, Bishop stormed out of the room and out into the hallway. Pacing up and down the hall for a few minutes, he weighed his options and realized that he had none. Booth was in a relationship with a popular mystery writer. The woman had a lot of fans and if she called any newsroom in the area, she would be in front of a camera in a matter of minutes. Removing his phone from his jacket pocket, he stepped into an unoccupied room with Agent Smythe by his side and made a call. "This is Jordon Bishop. I checked into the situation and Agent Booth is badly hurt. We can't move him without endangering his life. We won't be able to use him as a decoy for your plan . . . Sorry, I won't risk a man like Booth. He's done a lot for his country . . . I'm sorry you feel that way, but I have the final say in this, Booth works for the FBI not the State Department." The call ended, Bishop turned to Agent Smythe and shook his head. "He's not thrilled, but too bad. If they want Carlos then they better come up with a better plan."

Oooooooooooooooooo

After ten hours of waiting, Booth awoke with a groan. Brennan immediately stood up and leaned over the bed. "Booth . . . Booth you're in the hospital, but you're going to be fine."

His mind a little fuzzy, not sure why he was in the hospital, Booth opened his eyes and moved his head until he could see Brennan. 'Why . . . why am I in the hospital.?' His chest hurt and when he moved his right arm, he felt a little faint. "My chest hurts. Why?"

"You were shot, Booth. Pam Noonan shot you." Checking the monitor, Brennan could see that Booth's vital signs had improved since the last time she had looked at them. "We were at the karaoke bar and I was singing when she shot you . . . She's dead." Brennan regretted having to shoot Pam, but she had done what she had to do to save her life and the lives of the patrons in the bar. "You were shot in the chest. The bullet missed your lung. You should recover quickly."

Her words were reassuring. This wasn't the first time he'd been shot, but it wasn't something you got used to. He was grateful that Brennan was there to watch over him. "I love you, Bones. I won't leave you."

"Yes, you won't leave me. I will remind you that you told me that we're together, we'll always be together and I mean to hold you to that promise."

A slight smile on his lips, Booth closed his eyes. "I always keep my promises Bones." His chest throbbing, his smiled disappeared and was replaced with a grimace. "Any chance I can get something for the pain?"

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	53. Chapter 53

(The Pain in the Heart)

Thank you for reviewing my story. It's the only way I can tell if anyone is interested in it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

For the next two weeks, Brennan monitored Booth's health while he recovered from his gun shot wound. To make things easier, they moved into the guest bedroom that Hank used when he visited. The bed was lower and it made it easier for Booth to get in and out of. The bedroom had guard rails near the doors and the bathtub in the attached bathroom was a walk-in tub which made it easier for Booth to bathe. They had never considered this situation when they had set up the guest bedroom for Hank, but Brennan was grateful that the room was set up for a convalescing patient.

Since Booth was in good health, his recovery moved along fairly quickly. Two weeks after he had been shot, Booth's surgeon said he could return to work if he kept his work load light. Eager to return to work, he tackled the forms and reports waiting for him with more enthusiasm than normal. He was making steady progress when he received a phone call from his partner.

 _Booth, I received a mandible in the mail. It was mailed to me in a box and send to the Jeffersonian._

A chill running down his back, Booth stood up and grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair. "I'll be right there. Treat the box like a crime scene." Upon arriving at the Lab, Booth was amused to find that some yellow tape had been squared off around the desk where the box was resting. Brennan and Zach were wearing latex gloves and were visually examining the mandible.

Glad that Booth had finally arrived, Brennan pointed at the mandible sitting on a stainless steel tray and at the now empty box next to it. "I have visually examined it but was waiting for you to see the box and mandible before I proceeded further. As you can see, the box was addressed to me care of the Medico-Legal Lab. Zach was the one who opened it and he apprised me of the situation when he discovered the box contained a mandible. It was cleaned before it was mailed. There is no flesh attached to the bone nor is there any blood in the box. There were two silver screws in the box. There are clear indications that there are tooth marks on the bone which suggests cannibalism."

"Gormogon." Booth was angry. This was the second time that the serial killer had mailed Brennan a body part. "It's Gormogon."

"That is postulation, but I will concede that you are probably correct." Brennan sighed. "I assume this belonged to Ray Porter."

Booth leaned closer to look at the bone. "Yeah, probably. He disappeared a week after I saved his life and we haven't seen him since . . . Gormogon wants us to know that Porter is dead."

"We'll have to do DNA tests to confirm the mandible belongs to Ray Porter, but I feel your theory is correct."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

By using the pulp surrounding the teeth in the mandible they were able to confirm that the mandible belonged to the lobbyist Ray Porter. To Brennan and Cam's surprise, Zach determined that the jaw had been snacked on by someone using dentures not natural teeth and the dentures were homemade. This led to a request by Zach and Hodgins to do an experiment. They proposed to make a set of dentures and to see how the process worked if you weren't a qualified dentist.

While that was going on Booth and Brennan were in the vault giving Sweets a tour. While he looked at the various antiquities stored in the vault, Sweets shook his head in wonder. "Wow this stuff is so weird in a kind of a cool way." Staring at the skeleton, Sweets made an off-hand remark. "It's too bad Dr. Brennan refused to go along with Deputy Director Bishop's plan when you were hurt. He was pretty sure that they could have drawn Carlos Diaz to the funeral and they could have caught him." Deputy Director Bishop had approached him right after Brennan had stopped the plan in it's tracks. He had been hoping that Sweets could talk Brennan into allowing the subterfuge, but Sweets had assured the man that Brennan would not change her mind. She was very protective of her partner and she wouldn't jeopardize his health on the chance that a terrorist may or may not show up at the funeral of an FBI Agent.

"Wait. What?" This was news to Booth. "When did this happen?"

"While you were unconscious after surgery." Brennan didn't appreciate Sweets talking to Booth about this. She had planned to tell him, but she had been busy and now Sweets had humped the gun. "Deputy Director Bishop said he was going to use you as bait to try to lure Carlos to your pretend funeral. I told him that I have your medical proxy and he was not going to move you from the hospital before you were ready. You hadn't gained consciousness after your surgery yet and he was asking me to approve risking your health on the off chance that their plan might work to catch Carlos. I didn't want to risk your life and I told him no."

Not sure he liked being used by anyone, Booth frowned as he tried to get his mind around what Brennan had said. "Why didn't you say something after I woke up? I could have made a decision then."

"You were on powerful pain medication for three days, Booth." Brennan had seen how he reacted to the narcotics and she knew he was compliant when he was under the influence. "You couldn't have made a reasoned decision under those conditions. I was going to tell you about it later, but I've been busy and I wanted to wait until you were fully recovered."

Staring at the skeleton, Booth thought about what his partner had said and finally nodded his head. "Okay, I get it. Still, you should have told me about it earlier. At least if Bishop brings it up, I'll know what he's talking about."

Sweets hadn't meant to say anything about the undercover operation, but now that he had, he was able to see how the couple handled conflict. It was fascinating. "The Deputy Director wanted me to get you to change your mind, Dr. Brennan, but I told him you don't usually do that. By the time you were awake and lucid Booth it was too late to set up the ruse. She did have your medical proxy, so I told Bishop that you trusted Dr. Brennan to make decisions for you when you're incapacitated. Was I wrong?"

"No . . . no, I trust Bones." And he did. He knew that he could count on her to protect him when he needed the protection, just like she could trust him to protect her if she needed it. "If she thought it was dangerous then what she did was right." It had been a long time since anyone had cared for him as much as Brennan did. In the past, he could count on his grandfather to protect him when he needed it and it felt good knowing that Brennan cared enough about him to fight for him. "Thanks Bones."

"You're welcome."

Ooooooooooooooooo

The experiment went horribly wrong. Zach and Hodgins had argued over who was going to do the experiment. The delay had made the temperature exceed their specifications when Zach introduced the monomer and it had caused an explosion. The plastic shield Zach had used to separate him from the experiment protected the forensic anthropologist's body, but not his hands. They sustained heavy damage. Both hands had destroyed cartilage as did the trapezoid and hamate on his left hand. The damage was extensive and it would be miraculous if he would have fine motor skills in his hands in the future.

After Zach was transported to the hospital and everyone was assured that the man was getting the best of care, Hodgins went down to the vault to compare the silver screws that came with the mandible and found the skeleton missing. It was determined that when Zach triggered the explosion the security cameras went offline and that was when the skeleton had been stolen. Booth was furious and demanded that changes be made in the security department. "If someone can waltz into the Jeffersonian and steal an adult size skeleton then what's to stop someone from barging in and mowing everyone down with a weapon?"

Angry, Cam agreed with Booth and scheduled a meeting with the board of directors of the Jeffersonian. In the meantime, she arranged for a security guard to be posted at the basement door and hoped that nothing else happened. "It's too late to stop the theft of the skeleton but there are still valuable art work and antiquities being stored in the basement besides what's in the vault."

Brennan took over the examination of the mandible since Zach was no longer at the Lab and she soon found something distressing. She suspected that the rest of Ray Porter's remains were in the Lab since the mandible had been treated with ultra-violet light, a practice done at the Lab before storing bones. Worried at the implication, she had the students in her graduate anthropology glass come to the Jeffersonian and she initiated an audit of every box of bones in Bones Storage. There were over 10,000 sets of remains in Bones Storage and she knew it would take time, but it would be time well spent. If what she thought was going on was a fact, then they needed to know about it as soon as possible.

After extra bones were found in several boxes, they were brought to Cam and after doing DNA tests it was determined that the bones belonged to Ray Porter. His body had been at the Lab for weeks. One of the students also noticed an interesting incongruity. There were several mandibles from various sets of bones boxes that were missing canine teeth. A feeling of dread washed over Brennan as she returned to study Ray Porter's mandible and some of the bones that belonged to him in the various boxes and studied the patterns on each bone.

Zach had claimed that the tooth marks on the mandible had been made from man-made dentures, but that claim was false. They were made with human teeth and after the discovery of the missing teeth in storage, Brennan noticed that the patterns on the bones had all been caused by canine teeth. Zach had been wrong, very wrong and it left her with only once terrible conclusion. Zach had lied to her. He had removed the canine teeth from Bones Storage and he had made Gormogon a set of dentures using canine teeth. The implication was horrifying. Zach was the apprentice that they had been looking for.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Brennan and Booth confronted Zach in his hospital room and he didn't deny that he was the apprentice. He was quite proud of what he had done much to the anger of Booth. Gormogon had tried to kill a child a few months earlier by trying to drown the boy and how anyone could see that as right was beyond him.

Afraid that Booth's anger would shut down the interview, Brennan confronted Zach while motioning for Booth to back away. She appealed to the logical side of her friend and soon learned where to find Gormogon. Booth used that knowledge to track down the killer and he killed the man when the cannibal had thrown a knife at one of the agents with Booth. Booth usually felt regret when he killed someone, but in this case, he was glad that Gormogon was dead. The man had killed innocent people because of a warped sense of destiny and importance and he would kill no more. Zach was now under arrest and the cult was destroyed.

Booth rarely saw Brennan as sad as she was at that time. Zach had been a trusted friend and employee and he had betrayed everything she stood for. He had followed a path of death and destruction and she wondered how someone so logical, so intelligent could fall for something as perverse as the cult that Gormogon adhered to.

"Zach has always considered everyone around him stupid except for you and Hodgins." Not really surprised at the turn of events, Booth tried to console Brennan. "He valued logic and how smart he was, but he didn't really listen to anyone that knew anything he didn't. He lost his contract with the Army because he was detrimental to a military team approach. He didn't think he needed to follow orders because they weren't given by a peer. That's not how the military works and he endangered the men he worked with and now we know he endangered our lives too."

She knew what he was talking about. Zach had done the bidding of a serial killer. He had alerted Gormogon to their secret plan to capture him when they pretended to transfer the skeleton to Bethesda. That had led to a bomb being used to blow up the cab that Booth and Brennan had been in. They could have been killed. After the lobbyist had been killed, Zach had hidden the bones of Ray Porter in Bones Storage. He had set off an explosion to cover up the theft of the skeleton imperiling Hodgins. He had covered up the identity of a serial killer. He had chosen the wrong side. "Yes, I know." She blamed herself. "If only I had paid more attention to Zach. He was isolated and he had few friends."

"He chose his own isolation." Booth was having none of what Brennan was selling. "He's always been weird, but over the years he's cut himself off from a lot of people. He got more logical and less human. He did this to himself and I don't think you could have stopped it. He's too proud about how smart he is. He's like in the top one percent and he thought that made him better than everyone else. Hell, he knows you're a genius and yet he didn't come to you when Gormogon approached him. He listened to a serial killer and he let himself be used. You didn't do anything wrong and you couldn't have stopped it."

Still sad about her friend, Brennan sighed and leaned against Booth. "Yes, I suppose . . . I trusted him Booth. I trusted him."

"But he didn't trust you." Booth was determined to make Brennan see that she was not part of the problem. "He could have. He's known you for along time. He knows what you think about justice and chaos and murder. He didn't come to you because he chose not to. Just let it go, Bones. He isn't the man you thought he was. He wasn't the man anyone thought he was."

She hated to admit it, but her partner was right. Had she ever understood Zach? She had thought he was like her, someone struggling to live in a world that they didn't understand, but Zach had decided to invent a world that was outside the norm and he had chosen poorly. She could never do something like that. She might not understand everything that happened around her, but she tried to live in that world the best way she could. It was all she could do.

Oooooooooooooooo

Let know what you think of my story. Thank you.

A/N: before anyone corrects me, using 'humped the gun' was deliberate.


	54. Chapter 54

(After 'The Pain in the Heart')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Max had been gone for four weeks and had been unaware of the conclusion of the Gormogon case. He'd gone back to Coos Bay, given his landlord his notice, packed up his possessions, hired a U-Haul truck and driven back to the District. Once he found an apartment, he hired two young men he met in the apartment building to help him unload his possessions into his apartment and finally found time to visit his daughter.

Surprised to see Max at her front door, Brennan stepped back and let her father enter her house. "I assumed you went back to Coos Bay." She had thought she would never see him again, so his visit was not expected.

"I did go back to get my stuff and bring it back here." Max walked into the living room and stopped near the fireplace. "I'm done with Coos Bay now that the Feds aren't looking for me anymore . . . It's kind of odd not being a wanted man, but I'm getting used to it."

"Yes, I suppose you are." Brennan walked through the living room and into the kitchen to check on her pot of simmering risotto.

Following her, Max stood in the kitchen doorway, trying to keep out of her way. "I'm living in the District now. I want to be near you and Russ." She didn't answer, so Max explained further. "I'm retired now and I thought I might do a little traveling . . . Maybe see England or Spain next year. I haven't decided yet. I'll let you know if I go."

Her risotto was simmering and she knew that the chicken in the oven was almost done. "Would you like to stay for dinner?" Checking the mixed vegetables in a pot on the back burner, she added a little cayenne pepper to spice the dish up. "Booth is soaking in the tub at the moment. We'll be eating in about twenty minutes."

"Um, yeah sure. Want me to set the table?" So far his daughter hadn't reacted to his statement that he had moved to the area and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad. "Is Booth okay?" He thought it was odd that the agent was soaking in a tub before dinner.

"He is recovering from his gunshot wound." Brennan handed Max some plates and cutlery and moved over to the counter to make a salad.

Stunned, Max stared at his daughter's back. "Shot, Booth was shot? How did that happen?"

"Someone tried to shoot me and he stepped into the path of the bullet." Brennan was still angry that Booth had done that. What made him think her life was more valuable than his? She would never expect him to sacrifice his life for hers and he had promised he'd never do such a thing again. "It's been five weeks and he's back at work. We were able to find the serial killer we've been calling Gormogon and that case is closed . . . One of my interns was his apprentice." She didn't really want to talk about it.

"Wow, I mean, I've only been gone for a month and well, just . . . wow." Booth shot? A serial killer caught and one of her interns was the killer's helper? It was like a soap opera around here. "I'm sorry that Booth was shot, but I'm glad he's doing okay."

Her father sounded sincere. "Thank you."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Angela had viewed all of the videos that Security had sent from Chevy Chase Pavilion and she had come up with a list of six known criminals and 7 people connected with law enforcement that had parked in the Chevy Chase Pavilion the afternoon that Alina Bondar had disappeared. There was no one on film breaking the cameras on the parking level that Alina had parked on, but the private security firm had told Booth that the cameras had been shot with ball bearings breaking the cameras. They suspected a slingshot had been used from a great enough distance that no one had been recorded doing the damage.

Finding that bit of information interesting, Angela had studied the videos recorded on the cameras before they were destroyed and had noticed a black pickup truck with heavy window tinting parked in the lot. She witnessed a driver side window roll down and what looked like someone aim a slingshot towards the cameras confirming the weapon used to destroy the cameras. She was unable to see the driver and the license plate on the truck was unreadable because it was covered with a lot of dried mud. It was an old trick, but fairly effective.

After searching the video footage for the exits and entrances, she witnessed the truck leave about ten minutes after the cameras had been destroyed. She got the make and model of the truck and she could see that the tag had been issued by the state of Maryland. Luckily when the truck left the parking garage some of the mud fell from the tag and she was able to read two numbers. It wasn't a lot, but she thought it might still lead to the driver. Doing an extensive search, Angela narrowed down the owner of the truck to three owners. Along with that information, Angela emailed Booth and let him know what she had so far.

Glad to see something coming from the videos, Booth took the time to look over the information and tried to narrow down some suspects. Unable to knock anyone from the list, he decided that he would have to interview all 13 suspects and see who he made nervous. In the meantime, Booth asked Petro to come in and look at the pictures of his 13 suspects and see if anyone looked familiar.

Eager to find the killer of Alina, Petro was at the Hoover within the hour. "Booth, I have come as soon as I could. You have pictures for me to see?"

Standing, Booth waved Petro over to his desk and motioned for him to sit down. Turning his monitor so that Petro could see it, Booth began to show him a slide show of his suspects.

Taking his time, Petro studied each face and made sure that he didn't recognize the person before moving on. Oddly, he did recognize the attorney Heather Taffet, but didn't see how such a small woman could have been involved in the Gravedigger cases. "I only recognize one face, but she is a United States Attorney, Heather Taffet. She was our liaison with the United States Attorney General last year when he was prosecuting Gregor Kushnir for the illegal sale of weapons. He is a dual citizen. He was shipping weapons from this country to the Ukraine. It was a successful prosecution."

Although he'd seen Taffet at the Federal Courthouse a few times, Booth didn't really know her since he mostly worked with Caroline Julian on Federal cases. "I'll invite her in for an interview. I plan to interview everyone you saw, but I'll make sure Taffet comes in. I've met her, but I won't dismiss her because of her height and weight. The Gravedigger might not be working alone. I have a lead about who might have broke the cameras at the parking garage. I'm hoping that will connect me to the Gravedigger."

This sounded promising to Petro. "Good, if you need anything else from me, please let me know. Alina deserves justice, as do all of his victims . . . I hope that we might find Alina's body someday. Leonid deserves to be able to properly bury his wife in a marked grave."

"We'll do out best, Petro. A lot of people want the Gravedigger caught."

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Not sure she was doing the right thing, Brennan decided to visit Zach in the asylum he had been remanded to. She missed having Zach at the Lab and she missed his brilliance. She had relied upon him over the years to help her in her work. His power of observation had helped her many times and to think that he would never set foot in the Lab again was heartbreaking.

On the other hand, he had betrayed everything that she thought was right about her mission in life. He had helped a serial killer kill a lobbyist and his warning about the skeleton being moved to Bethesda had almost cost her and Booth their lives. It was hard to forgive and yet she still considered him a friend. It was very confusing.

"I'm glad you came to see me Dr. Brennan." Zach sat down at the table and placed his bandage covered hands on the table. "As you can see, I am still recovering from my injuries. I doubt I will ever be able to use my hands for more than picking up a fork or spoon, but then I won't be returning to work, so the point is moot."

Sad, Brennan studied her former colleague and felt that Zach was probably better off in the institute and not in prison. "Why didn't you come to me when you were approached by Gormogon?" That question had been eating away at her.

"I didn't think it was necessary. The Master was very logical, very convincing." Zach knew now that he had been foolish, but he couldn't undo what he had done. "He presented his case and the conclusions seemed conclusive. I took weeks to decide if I wanted to join him in his campaign. It wasn't a spontaneous decision. I couldn't approach you about it, because it would have endangered you if I had chosen to follow the Master later, which ultimately I chose to do."

"I see." It sounded logical and yet Brennan could see that her friend had been easily misled and why. "You were too isolated, Zach. You should have trusted me or Hodgins. We would have considered what you said. Either of us could have helped you to see the fallacies of Gormogon's arguments. I'm sorry you didn't trust me."

Swallowing, Zach knew that he had let Brennan down and he could never make up for it. "I'm sorry too . . . His logic seemed flawless and Hodgins' conspiracy theories seemed applicable to The Master's plan. There has been a master for many generations. The Master I answered to is the last one and there will be no more which is a good thing. His master and the Master before him were responsible for a lot of men dying. It's a good thing I've been locked up. I was part of something that should have never happened. I can't and won't kill anyone while I am locked up. People are safe from me."

"Yes, they are." Brennan stood up. "I will try to visit you when I can. Hodgins has told me that he will visit you next week."

"Thank you for coming, Dr. Brennan."

"You're welcome, Zach. I will be back."

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	55. Chapter 55

(After 'The Pain in the Heart')

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

U.S. Attorney Heather Taffet wasn't sure why she had been asked to come down to the Hoover, but it paid to just go along with summons like this and find out what was bugging the FBI. Escorted to an interview room on the fourth floor, Heather was offered coffee, tea or a Coke. She declined the offer and sat primly on the chair at the end of the table and waited.

It wasn't too long before Agent Seeley Booth entered the room and closed the door behind him. "Thank you for coming down, Ms. Taffet . . . I am Agent Seeley Booth. I have a few questions that I need to ask you. There was a kidnapping a few months ago at the Chevy Chase Pavilion Parking Garage . . . on August 17th to be exact and I had a few techs go over the footage recorded of the entrances and exits . . . Let me assure you that you're not the only one I've been questioning about this." Booth flipped open a folder he had carried into the room, removed a picture and turned it around so that Heather could see it. "You were seen entering the parking garage at 1:15 that afternoon and leaving the parking lot at 2:30. Did you see anything unusual that day? Something that might have looked odd."

"Well, I can assure you if I'd seen someone being kidnapped, I would have called the police." Heather felt that the FBI was on a fishing expedition and nothing else. After all hundreds of cars parked in the parking garage every day.

"Yes, I figured as much, but I had to ask." Booth was having a hard time reading the attorney. Usually he could read people fairly easily, but Heather Taffet was in complete control of her emotions and that made him wary. "Can you tell me if you saw a Black pickup truck with Maryland tags enter or leave the garage? It was a Lincoln Navigator. New model. The driver was Caucasian and assumed to be male."

Heather felt her heart beat faster and wondered what Will had done to draw attention to himself. "I saw quite a few black SUVs and pickup trucks in the garage. I assume that is the cool truck color this year." She was definitely going to talk to Will as soon as possible.

"Um, yeah." Booth wasn't getting anywhere, but he refused to get frustrated. After all, he was dealing with an attorney. "Well, if you remember anything, I'd appreciate it if you'd call me."

Standing, Heather decided that the FBI agent didn't really have anything on Will or on her and for that she was grateful. "If I do, you'll be the first I'll call, Agent Booth."

Standing, Booth watched the attorney leave the room. He felt a weird vibe coming from the woman, but he couldn't arrest her for that. He would continue his interviews and see what happened.

Oooooooooooooooooooo

William Elmore didn't appreciate being called into the Hoover, but his supervisor had told him to come and that left him with little choice. "Agent Booth, I'm in the middle of an investigation into human trafficking. I don't appreciate you taking me away from that. You could have asked me your questions on the phone."

Obviously, Baltimore Police Detective Elmore was angry, but Booth didn't care. "I'm working a kidnapping case involving a person attached to the Ukrainian Embassy. I think that is important enough to get you to come down here."

His throat suddenly dry, Will cleared his throat. "I didn't know. How can I help you? I don't work in the District and I don't have any contacts with any embassies in the area let alone the Ukrainian Embassy." God, he hoped Heather hadn't heard about the FBI's interest in this case. If she did, she might make his life a living hell.

"Your truck was spotted at the Chevy Chase Pavilion Parking Garage on August 17th." He noticed the detective lean back against his chair and found that interesting. "I need to know if you saw anything unusual. Someone destroyed some cameras in the garage with a sling shot. Did you see that happen? Did you notice anything odd or out of place?"

"No." He cleared his throat again. "No, if I'd seen someone destroying cameras, I would have stopped it. And if I'd noticed if anyone was being kidnapped, I'd have called the police or stopped it myself." He felt sick. How had they known his truck was in the garage? He'd plastered mud on the license plate. This was crazy. "Look, I had to pick up a wedding present for my wife. I didn't hang around looking for trouble. I had to get back to work as soon as I could. If someone was kidnapped, I didn't see it and I didn't notice any broken cameras where I was parked."

The man was sweating and Booth was fascinated. "We know that your truck was in the parking garage because it was spotted on camera when you drove in and when you left. Your tags had mud on them, but the rest of your truck didn't."

"Some asshole played a prank on me. I'm not responsible when someone plays a joke on me." Will knew that he'd never do that trick again. Maybe they had a way to see through mud now. _Damn computers!_

Since he didn't have anything else and he couldn't prove that Elmore had been the one to damage the cameras, Booth decided to let the man go, for now. "Thank you for coming in, Detective Elmore. I appreciate your help."

Cautiously, Will stood up. "Yeah, you could have asked me this stuff on the phone."

Not willing to comment, Booth watched the man glare at him for a few moments then leave. _Interesting. He's hiding something. He might be the guy that broke the cameras, but I need more. I need a lot more if I want to make a case._

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

Working in Bones Storage, Brennan and Clark were silently studying the bones that belonged to the unknown victim lying on the steel table between them. Clark had been shocked when he had heard about Zach's betrayal and arrest and he was wondering if he would be given Zach's job or not. He was hoping that he would be, but he didn't want to take anything for granted. "Have you and Dr. Saroyan decided how you're going to handle the loss of Dr. Addy?"

"Yes, I'm going to have some of my graduate students work with me on a rotating schedule starting in the Fall." Brennan placed the femur down and looked at her assistant. "We would like to offer you a position here permanently . . . I should have let Dr. Saroyan tell you that, but you did ask and I didn't think it would be out of line to tell you now. Of course, the decision is yours. I don't know if you're interested in working here permanently . . ."

"Oh, I'm interested." Clark couldn't believe his luck. He had wanted to work at the Jeffersonian for a long time and with Zach out of the picture it seemed that he was going to be given what he wanted. "Some of the staff here are a little unprofessional, but I can deal with that."

Surprised, Brennan almost asked who was being unprofessional, but decided that it wasn't her business. She didn't supervise the Lab and if there was conflict between the employees it wasn't her responsibility. "I ignore unprofessional behavior. Not everyone has the ability to control their emotions and their need for gossip can be overwhelming. I find it easier to just do my job and not participate in any drama that might arise here at work."

"I try, but some of them . . ." He didn't continue. The things that Angela said were outrageous in a professional atmosphere, but no one corrected her or called her out on it which told him that most of his fellow employees didn't care. He needed to develop a thicker skin. If he wanted to work at the Lab, he would have to try to maintain his professionalism even if no else did. "If Dr. Saroyan is offering me the position permanently, I will take it."

"Good." Brennan was relieved. She didn't consider Clark or anyone else to be as good as Zach, but Clark was very knowledgeable and he was a hard worker. He was still learning his profession and she was there to help him, so she was confident that Clark would be an acceptable replacement for her rogue assistant. There would never be anyone else like Zach again and she had accepted that fact. "We will continue as we have been. I will go into the field with Booth and you will remain in the Lab. The interns that will be working here will be training in their field and we will both be responsible when it comes to training them. They will need to learn the proper procedures we follow when a victim comes in. They will be given the opportunity to identify some of the remains here in Bones Storage. Dr. Hodgins likes to do experiments and if you can help him that would beneficial to both of us. He is a polymath and you can learn a lot from him if you allow yourself to. Zach learned a lot from Dr. Hodgins as well as from me. He . . . he is gone and you are his replacement. We will not talk about Dr. Addy again."

He heard the pain in her voice even if she was trying to hide it. "Understood Dr. Brennan." And he did understand. Zach had been her friend and he had betrayed her and everything she stood for. It was a hard pill to swallow.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Booth was a little tired. He was working out again and he wanted to get back into the shape he was before he was shot. Now that his doctor had told him that he was completely recovered he wanted to jog again and work out with weights. He knew that Brennan appreciated his fine body and it paid off when they were romantic. The woman loved sex and he loved it too. He wanted to be able to perform whenever they both needed it and he could when he was in shape.

Entering their house, Booth noticed that Brennan was on the phone in the living room. Passing her on the way to the kitchen, he kissed her cheek and patted her hip. Checking to see if Brennan needed help with dinner, Booth noticed that she hadn't started. He assumed she had worked late and that was fine. Grabbing the filets of fish from the fridge, he placed them on the counter, grabbed some root vegetables and started to prepare them for roasting.

Her call complete, Brennan entered the kitchen and started to work on a salad. "Russ called. He and his family are going on a cruise at the end of the week. His father-in-law is paying for it . . . I have been offered a spot on a dig. Dr. Thomas Bennet called me this afternoon with the offer. It is for two months and it is in the Philippines. I think I might accept it. Dr. Bennet is working in Rizal. An old stone tool was found there and he thinks there is a possibility that it dates back at least 600,000 years. I'd like to help him for at least two months."

Ever supportive, Booth kept peeling the carrots. "Sounds like a great opportunity." His partner had been sad ever since Zach had been revealed as Gormogon's apprentice and if going on a dig would cheer her up then he was all for it. "I told you when we got together that I didn't want to stop you from doing the stuff you love. If you want to go, then I think you should go."

Surprised that Booth wasn't trying to stop her, Brennan appreciated that he was backing her up and not fighting with her. "I will let him know tomorrow that I am available . . . It is only for two months."

"Hey, I'll miss you, Bones, but this is a great opportunity for you." Booth was proud of Brennan's accomplishments. She was the smartest person he knew and she was pretty amazing to him. "You go make some super important discovery and come back and write a book on it . . . We can talk to each other on the phone every day while you're gone and maybe I'll take a two week vacation and come out there to the dig and look around. I might even be of help who knows."

Excited, Brennan walked over to where Booth was standing and kissed him. "That sounds wonderful Booth. I will look forward to your visit." She kissed him again. "How was your workout?"

"Pretty good." Booth flexed his right arm. "I'm not as out of shape as I thought I was."

A gleam in her eyes, Brennan gave Booth what she hoped was an alluring smile. "Well, I for one am ready for you to show me just how much stamina you have. Since you were recovering from your surgery, it has been a few weeks since we've had intercourse."

With a look of lust in his eyes, Booth grabbed the fish, tossed it in the fridge, turned to face his girlfriend and smiled. "How about now?"

"Now would be excellent, Booth."

Ooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	56. Chapter 56

(After 'The Pain in the Heart')

A/N: thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Oooooooooooooooo

Booth had encouraged Brennan to go on the dig but he didn't count on just how much he would miss her while she was gone. He spoke to her everyday on the phone and she sent him pictures of the dig, but he longed to be with her again and he couldn't wait for her to return. Booth assumed that Dr. Bennet was pleasant enough to work for since Brennan didn't complain about him or anyone at the dig, but then he knew that she wouldn't do that if there was a problem. She could take care of herself and woe to anyone that didn't understand that.

A case came up that required a forensic anthropologist and Booth accepted Dr. Clark Edison's help. The man had a good reputation and he knew that the Lab wouldn't have hired Clark full time if there was any doubt about his skills.

A body had been found in a corner stone of an old building being torn down to make room for a Savings and Loan. When the corner stone had been knocked off it's foundation, it had cracked open revealing a mummified body. Since the property belonged to a Savings and Loan, the FBI was called out and the case was handed over to Booth because of his connection to the Medico and Legal Lab.

As they leaned over the broken concrete, both Clark and Cam studied the body and noted the hole in the middle of the forehead. "I think we can go with murder." Cam noted the look of annoyance on Clark's face and shrugged her shoulders. "I normally agree that tests should be done to determine cause of death, but no matter what the cause of death will be, this person didn't crawl into this corner stone and let cement be poured over him while he awaited his fate. Plus, the hole in the middle of the forehead does look ominous."

Conceding, Clark nodded his head. "Yes, you do have a point. I would like to determine cause of death before I say what killed the person. The person could have been shot after he died. Not likely, but possible."

And Cam conceded too. "I agree, anything is possible." She understood that Clark was being overly cautious because he didn't want to make any mistakes. He didn't want to jeopardize his full-time status at the Lab. Standing, Cam turned to face Booth. "Murder, Booth."

"Got it." Booth made a few notes then looked up. "So, a guy . . . age of the victim? Race? Anything that will point to the identity?"

"Between the ages of 18 and 25 . . . Mixed race. I'll need to clean the bones to get a better idea of who the victim is." Clark studied the teeth by leaning closer and placing his hand in the victim's mouth. "His teeth were in very good shape, but one of the front teeth appears to have been knocked out. I don't know what that means yet."

Shrugging his shoulders, Booth made a few more notes. "Okay, I'm going to go back to the office. I'll check into the history of this building and see if I can find a list of anyone that was reported missing in the area when the cornerstone was laid. In the meantime, if you identify the body let me know." Moving away from the crime scene, Booth wished that Brennan was on the case. He didn't know Clark that well and he would have preferred his partner on the case. Since she wasn't available, he'd have to do more research to back up the new forensic anthropologist.

Oooooooooooooooooo

The building had been started construction in 1955 and when it was completed it was opened as a law office. There had been two owners since it was built, but Booth was only interested in the company that had it built and the building contractor that was used. The law office was opened in November of 1956 and the law firm Reese, Davis and Williams ran a successful business until it was closed in 1987 when two of the lawyers were killed in a boating accident. The construction company was owned by Gerry Reese, a cousin of Howard Reese, one of the law partners who was eventually killed in the accident. Booth checked missing persons cases in the area starting in April 1955 when the ground was broken for the new building and the corner stone was built. After checking the list, he found that 12 of the people were still missing as of 2008. Interestingly enough, one of the missing people on the list was named Kim Williams. Curious, he pulled up the information on Kim Williams and found out that he was the son of Jason Williams Sr. and the brother of Jason Williams, Jr. the surviving law partner. Intrigued, he made arrangements to interview Jason Williams at his home.

Having never been in the field with an FBI Agent, Clark found himself to be a little nervous. He had been asked by Booth to come with him to interview Jason Williams, Jr. and he wasn't sure what was expected of him. Booth had told him that Brennan usually observed the suspect and Booth considered Jason Williams a suspect and to ask questions if he thought it was appropriate. Clark just hoped that if he asked a question it was appropriate to the Agent.

"Mr. Williams, thank you for seeing us." Booth entered the house with Clark following on his heels. Once they were in the living room, they sat on two chairs facing the couch while Jason sat down on the couch.

"So, you said this was about Kim?" Jason had given up ever seeing his baby brother again. The young man had disappeared in 1955 and he had never been heard from again.

His eyes on Williams's face, Booth wanted to make sure he caught Williams' reaction. "A body was found four days ago. We believe it's Kim William's body."

Stunned, Williams mouth popped open and he stared in amazement at the Federal Agent and his partner. Swallowing, he finally responded. "Are you sure? I mean, you said you think it's Kim, how can you be sure?"

Clark spoke up. "We have his picture, Sir and the facial reconstruction of the skull matches. He was listed as missing in April of 1955 and where he was found makes it more than likely it's him. If you could give us a DNA sample, we could be one hundred percent certain."

"I'm a little confused, where was he found? Why is that important?" Williams was starting to wonder what was going on.

Bluntly, Booth answered the question. "He was found in your old law office building. In the corner stone to be exact."

Aghast, Williams leaned back against the couch and placed his hands over his eyes. Weeping the man ignored his interrogators as he felt a sort of relief overcome him. He finally knew where his baby brother was. He finally could bury the man.

Silently, Booth and Clark watched the retired lawyer cry and didn't interfere. Clark felt sad for the man while Booth just observed, withholding judgement.

Finally able to control himself, Williams fished a tissue out of the box on the coffee table, dabbed at his eyes then blew his nose. "Thank you. It's too late to help my parents, but at least I know where Kim is. I'll have him buried next to my parents. I bought three plots when I bought my parents finally resting place in 1987."

The year 1987 seemed too coincidental to Booth. "Your parents died the same year your partners died?"

Slowly nodding his head, Williams blew his nose once more. "Yeah, they died in a house fire about three weeks before my partners died in the boating accident." The old man was calmer now. What was going to happen was going to happen. He was 78 years old and he'd had a good life for the most part. There were a few things that were terrible like the deaths of his parents and Kim, but everyone dealt with tragedy. "It was a bad year. I closed down the firm after Howard and James died. I joined a law firm and specialized in Environmental Law. I did pretty good. Made a small difference, I guess. My wife died last year, so my daughters are all I have left."

Booth didn't like the coincidence of the dates of his parents death and the deaths of his partners. "Is there a connection between the death of your parents and the deaths of your partners?"

Aware of what Booth was asking, Williams gave him a sad smile. "I advise you to read me my rights and then I'll answer you."

Surprised, Booth read the old man his rights and waited for Williams to reply. Confused, Clark stared at the old man and wondered what the old man was up to.

"In 1955, my brother Kim was in love Agent Booth. He was nineteen years old and he had found someone that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with." Williams sighed. "My brother was gay. It wasn't really accepted too much back then, but my parents and I refused to throw Kim away and we supported him as best as we could . . . He chose the wrong man to fall in love with. The man he thought he was in love with was Timothy Reese, the older brother of Howard Reese. I guess Howard and his cousin Gerry weren't as accepting of Timmy's life-style and when they found out about Kim, they tried to warn Kim off, but he was in love and he wasn't going to listen to them. Timothy was a fool. He knew that his brother and cousin were furious, but he thought that they'd get used to the situation . . . Howard and Gerry were worried about their family name and how it might affect their businesses if Kim and Timmy were to be in an open relationship. In April of 1955, Kim arranged to meet Timmy at a hotel and they were going to have a quiet little ceremony with some of their friends. They couldn't legally get married, but they had a friend that was going to do a ceremony for them anyway. It just wouldn't be legal . . . Kim didn't make it to the hotel. Timmy and his friends waited around for hours then spread out across the city to look for him, but no one ever saw him again."

Fascinated, Clark leaned forward trying not to miss anything the man said. Booth stared at Williams and was sure he knew what was coming. "You looked for him?"

"Oh, believe me, Agent Booth. My parents and I spent days looking for him." Williams stared down at his knees for a moment then looked back up so he could watch Booth. "My parents hired a detective and I guess he pieced what happened together and told my parents. They didn't tell me. I don't know if they distrusted me because of my partnership with Howard or they didn't want me to know because they didn't have the proof they needed to charge anyone . . . The detective found out where Kim had been last seen and who he was with . . . Gerry Reese. Gerry was seen forcing Kim into a van two hours before Kim was supposed to meet up with Timmy. The man who witnessed the abduction tried to follow the van but lost it because of an automobile accident. He was hit from behind by someone and he couldn't leave the accident . . . The detective found out later that the man who hit the witness worked for Gerry Reese. Believe me, he knew that something bad was done to Kim by Gerry, but he couldn't prove it. No one could prove it. Detective Coleman confronted Gerry, but of course Gerry denied everything . . . I didn't know about any of this until my parents died. I was going through a safety deposit box my parents had a bank and I found the report from Detective Coleman . . . I couldn't believe what I'd read. I admit that I didn't want to. The next day was a Saturday and I knew that Howard and James were going out on Howard's boat. I owned a boat at the time and I tracked them down. I confronted Howard while James just watched. I told Howard I knew everything. He just laughed."

Booth felt a chill down his spine and he knew that Howard had made a fatal mistake.

"He said it was over and done with 22 years ago and that our company was too important for me to do anything about Kim. We were rich because of our firm and . . . he just laughed. James just told me to let it go because Kim got what he deserved . . . I don't know what came over me or maybe I do. I went down below into the galley and grabbed a bottle of cooking oil. I came back on the deck, opened the bottle and threw it onto the other boat. I was pretty close. Bottles were made of glass back then. I grabbed a towel from the deck, set it on fire with my lighter and threw it on Howard's boat. Miraculously it landed on the oil. James and Howard were on the stern and the fire was on the forward part of the boat. It caught the sail on fire and spread pretty quickly. I moved my boat away . . . they screamed at me to come back while they tried to put out the fire, but they were panicked and they didn't know what they were doing. It was ridiculous really. I could have put the fire out by myself, but those two idiots were weekend sailors and had no idea what they were doing . . . I just left them behind on the burning boat. I sailed back to the dock and drove home. Unbelievably, no one spotted my boat in the area with Howard's boat. The coast guard said it was cooking oil that burned the boat and Howard and James didn't put it out in time. They don't know why the cooking oil was on the deck and why a towel was used to start a fire, but there were no witnesses to the crime and they called it an unsolved mystery. Lucky for me, I guess . . . You're probably wondering why I'm telling you all of this."

A little confused, Clark spoke up. "Why tell us? Why not just keep everything covered up?"

"Because I want my brother to get justice." Williams sighed. "I've been silent all these years because if I said anything I'd go down for murder, but I'm old and I don't give a shit anymore. I want everyone to know that Kim was murdered. I want you to go after Gerry. Of course, the man is 84, so he wouldn't spend much time in jail if he was proven guilty, but I would like to make the sorry son-of-a-bitch miserable in his last years."

With nothing else to do, Booth arrested the man and with Clark's assistance, took him to the Hoover where Williams wrote out his confession.

Ooooooooooooooo

Booth had a long conversation with Brennan that night telling her about the confession of Williams and the arrest of Gerry Reese.

 _I wish I'd been there to help with the case._

"Yeah, me too." Booth took a swig from his bottle of beer. "Clark and Cam did a pretty good job helping with the case, but I would have preferred my partner helping me."

 _I'll be home in a week, Booth. I was going to stay for two months, but I think one month is enough. We've uncovered some more stone tools, but so far, no bones had been discovered. I think I'd be of better use back at home. I did tell Dr. Bennet that if he did find some bones, I would be willing to come back and examine them._

"Great, I'll pick you up at the airport. Just email me the date and time." Booth was excited. His partner would be home in a matter of days and he couldn't wait. "I've missed you."

 _I've missed you too, Booth. I needed the time away. What happened to Zach was upsetting and I needed time to assimilate that turn of events. I think I have and I can now accept what happened._

He'd been worried about that, but if Brennan said she was in a good place then he was happy for her. "Good, I'm glad . . . I love you, Bones. I'll show you how much when you get back."

 _I love you too Booth._

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. I appreciate it.


	57. Chapter 57

(Yanks in the UK)

A/N: thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Neither Booth nor Brennan had anticipated a trip to London anytime soon, but Booth was asked to speak at Scotland Yard and Brennan was invited to Oxford to give a speech and after checking to see if her invitation could be moved to a different date, they both accepted the offers.

"It'll be fun, Bones." Booth had read both invitations and thought they were a good excuse to go to London for a week. "I mean, I didn't get to go to the Philippines because you cut your trip short, so here's an opportunity for us to be in London and it won't cost us a dime. Scotland Yard is paying for my trip and Oxford is paying for yours. We'd be idiots to turn them down."

"And we aren't idiots." Brennan didn't particularly care for the word idiot since it had a lot of negative connotations, but she knew what her partner meant. "Of course, I will upgrade your seat on the plane, unless you want to fly coach while I fly first class."

Curious, Booth looked at Brennan's invitation again. "They aren't paying for first class."

"No, I will be upgrading my seat and I can upgrade yours as well." Not sure if Booth would accept, Brennan decided that no matter what he decided to do she would not fly coach.

"Um, well, I mean it would be dumb for us to sit in separate parts of the plane, so when you upgrade your ticket you can upgrade mine." He thought about paying for the upgrade, but decided that if she was offering to pay, he'd let her. He could save his money and use it to pay for nice meals for them while they were in London and maybe some souvenirs for Parker.

A little surprised that Booth was willing to let her pay for his upgrade, Brennan took the paper back from her partner and made some notations on the invitation. "Good, I would have hated traveling alone."

"Well, I can't let you do that. We belong together." Not really sure why he wasn't being more independent about paying, Booth decided it might be because he really hated flying coach and the difference between first class and coach could be in the thousands of dollars and he wasn't made of money. Maybe having a rich girlfriend wouldn't be too bad under special circumstances.

Oooooooooooooooooo

Dr. Ian Wexler wasn't who Booth expected when they first met. He was expecting an old man who'd been at the college forever, but when they met, he found Ian to be man younger than he was, maybe ten years younger who seemed to flirt with his partner more than necessary. In fact, Ian flirted so much that Booth was tempted to knock the man down and stomp on his balls. He knew he couldn't do that, but it was very tempting. Brennan had already waved him off when he had tried to make his displeasure known, so he was waiting to see just how she handled the situation.

Aware that Booth was becoming incensed, Brennan tried to discourage her host, but nothing she said seemed to dissuade him. The man knew he was handsome, he exuded charm and it appeared that he couldn't help being a flirt. Whether he was sincere or not, Brennan couldn't say, but she knew that she wasn't interested in his advances and she was getting very annoyed with the man. "Dr. Wexler, perhaps you don't know that Agent Booth and I are in a relationship."

"You're not married?" Ian didn't see what the fuss was about. He was handsome, she was beautiful and a beautiful woman could not be ignored.

"No, but we are in a committed monogamous relationship." Brennan hoped the man was really listening to her. "Booth and I are not interested in having relationships with other people. Now, I'm here to give a lecture and that is what I will do. I will not go on a date with you nor will I sleep with you."

Disappointed, Ian knew when to give up. Besides, Agent Booth was starting to worry him. The man was clenching and unclenching his fists and the glares coming from him were quite menacing. "Yes, well, if you'll follow me, the lecture hall is this way."

Following Ian and Brennan, Booth decided that as soon as the lecture was over, he was going to talk Brennan in to leaving London and seeing the sites outside the city limits. He'd had enough of Ian Wexler. He had come close to threatening the man, but Brennan had put the man in his place. He hated when men felt it was okay to hit on his partner and Ian epitomized the worst of those.

Ooooooooooooooooo

They were packing and getting ready to leave the hotel when Ian Wexler and a Scotland Yard Detective arrived at their hotel room. "There's been a murder and we'd like to know if you'd be interested in helping in the investigation."

"Why?" Booth didn't trust Ian and he wanted to know why Scotland Yard wanted his help. They had a great reputation just like the FBI and he didn't see why he and Brennan needed to be involved in a murder investigation in England.

"Truthfully, the victim is an American woman and her father who has a lot of political pull is demanding that the FBI be involved." Inspector Cate Pritchard didn't really want Booth or Brennan's help, but she had been told to ask for it since Roger Frampton had powerful connections with members of Parliament and it would be easier to humor the man and invite Agent Booth and his partner to help with the investigation.

Disgusted, Booth shook his head. "I hate rich people. They think they can snap their fingers and everyone should jump. Dr. Brennan and I are not here to work on a case."

"I understand, but my supervisor talked to Deputy Director Bishop and he approved the temporary partnership between Scotland Yard and the FBI."

"Booth, I'd like to be involved in the investigation. It would be interesting to observe how Scotland Yard handles a murder investigation compared to how the FBI does it." She thought it was possible that she could end up writing a paper about American versus English law enforcement.

Glad to hear it, Ian relaxed. Unaware of Brennan's thoughts, he pointed out a benefit if she and Booth cooperated. "You could end up writing a paper about Scotland Yard and FBI investigative techniques . . . how different they are and how similar they are." He hoped she would say yes. Dr. Brennan was an interesting woman and even though she had turned him down, he still found her fascinating.

Reluctantly, Booth knew that he'd have to agree. Brennan was interested in doing it and she wouldn't leave London now. Not when she had an opportunity like this. He could see that Ian and the Scotland Yard Inspector were going to get their way. "I want a gun or this isn't happening."

"I can't let you have a gun." Americans and their gun obsessions drove the Detective bonkers.

"Sorry, I don't do my job unarmed. No gun, no help and I don't care what the Deputy Director or some rich asshole says." Booth needed to be able to protect Brennan and he couldn't do it unarmed. He didn't give a shit about British laws. He was in law enforcement and he knew what he needed to do to do his job properly.

Not sure if it was possible, Prichard nodded her head. "I'll see what I can do." If it weren't for her supervisor demanding 'hands across the seas' and all that rot, she would have told the agent no. "I can't make any promises."

"We'll help with the investigation, but if I don't have a gun in my hand by the end of the day, Bones and I are going home." He saw Brennan open her mouth to argue and he interrupted her before she could start. "Just because this is London doesn't change anything, Bones. Yes, you can take care of yourself, but the deal is I carry a gun to protect us when it's needed. This is just political bullshit anyway. They don't need us. They're just holding some rich asshole's hand. No gun, no help from us."

She wanted to argue, but Booth and she did have a verbal contract about how they worked together. He was armed while they were in the field and on rare occurrences so was she. Working crime scenes, tracking down criminals, especially murderers was dangerous work and since Booth was the best in his field, she trusted his instincts. "It is a reasonable request."

Backed into a corner, Pritchard knew she'd have to find a gun for the Cowboy. There was no getting around it.

Ooooooooooooooooo

The murder had been solved and Booth was angry. "So, some guy with a title gets away with murder because his butler decides to take the fall? What a load of crap. You're not really going along with this are you?"

Shrugging her shoulders, Pritchard knew that sometimes murder investigations didn't get the results they should. "The butler said he did it. Duke Bonham hasn't confessed to the murder, so we will have to accept Jamison's confession."

He was disgusted, but this wasn't the United States and if Scotland Yard wanted this to happen then he couldn't stop it. "You didn't need us here for this." Booth placed his hand on Brennan's elbow and guided her to the car. "We're leaving . . . Bones, let's get out of town before someone steals the Crown Jewels . . . I've had enough games."

Brennan had found the investigation to be fascinating but like Booth, the end results was less than satisfactory. "I can call and see if we can get a flight out for the morning."

"Good, we'll go back home, but we won't tell anyone we're there. We can have a staycation." Booth wanted to spend time alone with Brennan and he knew that wouldn't happen in London.

"What's a staycation?" Sometimes, Booth came up with the oddest things to say.

Opening the door to the car, Booth ushered Brennan inside. "It's a stay at home vacation. We'll stay in our house. We won't answer the phone unless it's Pop's or Rebecca calling. We have to take their calls just in case Parker has a problem. No one will be able to make us work on our vacation because they won't know where we're at."

Intrigued, Brennan nodded her head. "I think that sounds like a good idea. I've never been on a staycation before. You'll have to go over the rules with me."

After he was in the car, Booth turned to face Brennan. "Only two rules, no phone calls to and from anyone and we don't answer the door if someone knocks on it."

"Oh, those rules are simple enough." Brennan thought it would be nice to have Booth to herself. She started making plans and a lot of them required very little clothing.

Pleased that Brennan was going along with his plan, Booth called out to Inspector Pritchard. "Come on Pritch. Take Bones and me back to our hotel. We want to get out of Dodge as soon as we can."

"Cowboys." Rolling her eyes, Detective Pritchard got into the car. She had found it interesting to work with Booth and Brennan, but she preferred to just work with her partner, Ian.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	58. Chapter 58

(The Con Man in the Meth Lab)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooo

It had been awhile since Booth had seen his brother and though he felt proud of Jared's accomplishments he wondered if he was going to regret his brother moving to the District. When they were kids, his brother had been a trouble maker and Booth did his best to help him out of the problems he created, but as a Lieutenant Commander in the Navy with an important job at Strategic Plans and Policy at the Pentagon he hoped that the old Jared was gone and that there was a new Jared in control.

Though Booth was finishing up a RICO case, he found time to work on a case at the request of the Virginia State Police. The case started with a body being blown up in a Meth Lab by a state trooper training new recruits and everything seemed to go downhill from there.

Jared arranged to meet his brother at the Lab and he was happy to see Booth. He had always admired his brother's career in the Army and making it to Master Sargent in the Rangers was no small feat. He knew that his brother had a lot of awards and medals to prove what a brave man he was, but Jared was more intellectual than his brother. He hoped to rise up in the ranks using his brain and perhaps capping it off as an Admiral. He was willing to take risks to get that rank and he was well versed in the game of politics. Anyone attached to the Pentagon knew how to play the games needed to make it further up in the ranks. You didn't need to dodge bullets and risk your life to make a difference in the military. You just needed to know how to operate amongst the movers and shakers and Jared was confident that he was up for it.

One of the first minor tests he needed to get through was a party with his bosses and their bosses that evening, but he was new in town and he didn't know anyone. "Come on Seeley, I need a date and I need you to help me out."

Annoyed, Booth felt like his brother was putting him on the spot. He didn't know if he knew any single women that were available. It's not like he went around asking women their dating status. He was in a relationship and he was more than satisfied. Resigned, he knew of only one person he could ask and he wasn't sure what his friend would think about that. Moving up on the platform at the Lab, Booth noticed that Brennan and Cam were working on the body that had been blown up in the Meth Lab. That body had been burned and parts of it torn away and he didn't envy them trying to figure out who the victim was. "Cam, Jared needs a date for tonight. Do you have time for that?" He hoped she was available since he didn't really know anyone else that Jared could ask for a date.

Delighted to see Jared, Cam removed her gloves, tossed them in the bin, moved over to where he was standing and hugged him. "My goodness you're getting big. And you need a date? I suppose I could break free for a few hours tonight."

Glad to see an old friend, Jared hugged Cam and kissed her cheek. "Cam, I really appreciate it. I'm new in town and I don't really know anyone." Spying Brennan standing near the steel table, Jared was taken aback by how beautiful she was. "Hi there. I'm Jared Booth. I wouldn't mind getting to know you."

"I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan. Your brother and I are in a monogamous relationship." Brennan wanted to make sure the man standing before her knew that she wasn't available for dates. She noticed Booth staring intently at her and the slight sneer on his face. "Booth, we're still looking over the remains."

"That's fine." Booth had loved how quickly Brennan had put Jared in his place. If she hadn't done it, he would have. No one poached from him and that was a fact. "I have to get back to the Hoover. I just brought Jared over to talk to Cam." Noting the disappointed look on his brother's face, Booth moved over to where Brennan was standing and kissed her cheek. He didn't normally do public displays of affection, but he was marking his territory and he wanted his brother to see it. "I'll see you at lunch." Moving away from the platform, Booth moved past Jared. "They're busy. You might want to leave them alone now."

Amused, Cam shook her head. Booth had made it quite clear to everyone on the platform that he and Brennan were in a relationship and no one had better screw with that. A typical Booth move as far as she was concerned.

Aware that his brother was sending him a message, Jared shook his head. "I got to get back to the office. I have things to do . . . Cam, I'll pick you up around seven. Send me an email with your address, thanks." Moving down the steps, Jared knew that living in the same town with his brother might present some challenges, but it wasn't like they needed to be in each other's pockets. His brother had his life to live and he had his own life to live.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

The last thing Jared wanted to do was to call his brother, but he was desperate. He'd done the one thing he'd vowed never to do and now it was possible that his career in the Navy was over. He loved to drink and normally that wasn't a problem. He did most of his drinking at home, but if he chose to drink in a bar or at a party, he usually called a taxi for a ride home afterward. In this case, he hadn't realized that he had drunk too much. Cam had taken a taxi to go home after the party, so he hopped in his car and drove away from the party. Half-way home, he'd fallen asleep at the wheel and hit a light pole. He was DUI and he knew it. It hadn't taken the police more than five minutes to spot his car smashed against the pole and had pulled him from the car. After he had taken a breath analyzer test, he knew that he was in deep shit.

For some reason Jared didn't understand, a Colonel in the state police had shown up at the scene and had seemed to be in high spirits. The Colonel knew who his brother was and he'd asked if he wanted to call Seeley to see if he wanted to come down and help with the situation. Jared wasn't sure what his brother could do, but if the Colonel was encouraging him to make the call then maybe that meant that he and Seeley were friends. He was desperate and he made the call.

It took his brother 35 minutes to get there, but when he arrived at the scene he looked grim. Jared thought it might help to say he'd fallen asleep while driving, but he knew that wasn't the truth and his brother knew it too. He watched Seeley walk over to where the Colonel was waiting and they had a quick conversation. The Colonel practically danced with happiness. Wary, he watched Seeley glance back at him and he knew that if looks could kill, he'd be dead. It was obvious that the Colonel and Seeley were not friends and the Colonel was using this situation to get something he wanted. He wasn't sure what his brother was going to do and he was terrified. If his brother didn't do what the Colonel wanted, his career would be over.

Shortly, his brother was back. "Get the fuck in my truck." Seeley was furious and whatever had happened, he knew that he owed his brother. He might owe him more than he was willing to pay, but only time would tell.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Back home, Booth slammed the front door shut, marched over to his bar and poured some Scotch into a glass. His anger so great, the glass in his hand shook and Booth knew that he needed to calm down. The liquor still in the glass, Booth placed the glass on the bar and punched the wall beside him cracking the plaster. "Shit!"

Brennan had heard the door slam and curious, she had left her bed and walked into the living room. "Is Jared alright?"

Inhaling deeply, Booth slowly let his breath out then turned to face Brennan. "He was drunk and he hit a light pole. Colonel Wolchuck of the Virginia State Police was there . . . you remember I told you that Wolchuck wanted me to lie about our investigation into the death of Jim Stegman and I refused? Well, when I showed up, he was waiting to get a little revenge . . . I had to give him credit for my RICO case or he was going to throw the book at Jared. His career would have been over if I had let that happen."

Appalled that Booth would do that for anyone, Brennan shook her head trying to understand what was happening. "Booth, you know . . . what if he does it again? What if he kills someone next time? You shouldn't have done that."

He knew she was right, but Jared was his brother and he'd done a lot of things in the past for him that maybe he shouldn't have. "He's my brother, Bones . . . I . . . No, you're right. If he did it once he can do it again . . . I just thought about what would happen to his career . . . I was wrong and I should have let him sink or swim on his own . . . I'm going to have to talk to Jared. God what a mess." Staring down at his right hand, Booth noticed that his knuckles were bleeding. "I'm sorry I lost control and hit the wall. I can fix that and I'll do that this weekend."

More worried about his hand that the cracks in the wall, Brennan took his hand gently in her hands and examined the knuckles. "I don't think you broke anything except the skin. We need to wash the cuts and put some Neosporin on it, perhaps a band-aid."

Following her into the bathroom, Booth knew that he needed to learn to control his temper better than he did. Growing up in his father's house, Booth had witnessed the rages aimed at his mother and himself and he knew that he could never allow that to happen. He could not allow himself to turn into his father.

"Will you be in trouble with Bishop about the RICO case?" Brennan entered the bathroom with her boyfriend following her and retrieved the first aid kit from the cabinet below the sink.

"A little, but not too much." Booth ran some warm water over his hand and watched the blood flow down the drain. "The case originally belonged to the Virginia State Police before the FBI took over. I'll do some fast talking. I might get a reprimand for not getting clearance from Bishop before I handed the RICO case back to the Virginia Police, but it won't go any further." He felt foolish. He had risked his own job to protect Jared's job. He was so used to bailing his brother out of jams that he hadn't thought about the repercussions. Well, he was done with that. "I won't bail him out again. It's time Jared started paying for his mistakes. I'm not paying for him anymore. I'm done with that."

Relieved, Brennan turned the water off and patted Booth's hand dry. "Good." She knew that Booth was loyal to his family and friends and it was one of the things she admired about him, but he needed to think about himself too. It wasn't a good idea to destroy his career taking care of someone else's problems.

Ooooooooooooooooooo

After a meeting with Deputy Director Bishop the next morning, Booth wasn't in a good mood, but he had to keep his promise to Brennan and talk to his brother. After he made a call to Jared, he found out that his brother had called in sick and that meant that Booth could confront him in private. Arriving at Jared's apartment, Booth waited a few seconds to make sure he was calm before knocking on the door.

Surprised someone was knocking on his door, Jared opened it and sighed. "Come for your pound of flesh?" Stepping back, he allowed his brother to enter the living room.

"I'm here to talk to you." Annoyed, Booth realized that his brother didn't know or understand what he had done the previous evening to save Jared's career. "What you did last night was stupid, Jared. You were drunk and it's a miracle you didn't kill someone or yourself for that matter. You're too old to be doing this shit."

"Whoa, big brother. Who the hell are you to tell me what to do?" Furious, Jared crossed his arms against his chest. "What I did last night was a fluke. I've never done that before. I can handle drinking and I don't need or want you to tell me what to do. I'm a man, not some kid you can push around."

Fighting to remain calm, Booth clenched his fists and kept them at his side. "But you can call me and have me bail you out of a career ending mistake? You have no idea what I had to do to save your career last night. No idea at all."

"I asked you to help, but you could have turned me down. I didn't make you do anything." Whatever his brother had done, he wasn't about to take responsibility for it. His brother was a free agent just like he was.

"Right! Tell me you didn't beg me to help you?" Booth waited, but he knew that he wasn't going to like the answer.

Stepping closer to Booth, Jared jabbed him in the chest with a finger. "I don't beg, Seeley. You hear what you want to hear."

"That's it. I'm done." It took all he could do not to hit his brother. "From now on take care of your own problems. Don't call me, don't text me, don't anything me." Turning he yanked the door open and stepped out into the hallway. Before he left, he faced his brother. "I thought you were better than Dad. Was I wrong?"

Livid, Jared slammed the door in his brother's face. "I'm not Dad you asshole. I'm not Dad." Stalking into the kitchen he opened the fridge, pulled out a bottle of beer and opened it. Before he took a drink, he noticed the time on the clock and suddenly felt sick. It was 10:22 in the morning and he was about to drink beer. His cheeks hot from shame, he poured the beer down the kitchen sink and threw the bottle away. "I'm not Dad. I'm not him. I can't be. I can't be."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Let me know what you think of my story. Thank you.


	59. Chapter 59

(The Hero in the Hold)

Thank you for reviewing my story. I appreciate it.

I don't own Bones.

Ooooooooooooooooo

Petro Oliynyk had been curious about Heather Taffet ever since he'd found out that she had been spotted in the Chevy Chase Parking garage the day Alina had been kidnapped. Booth had promised to interview her and he had kept his promise. Eager to be of help, Petro had decided that he would do some investigating on his own without Booth's knowledge. Since Taffet's interview in the Hoover, Petro had done a little digging into Heather Taffet's background and he now believed that she was either the Gravedigger or was helping the Gravedigger. Taffet had met with Alina Bondar while working with the Embassy on an extradition case and Alina's husband Leonid seemed to think that Taffet had asked a lot of personal questions. So many that they had made him uncomfortable. The fact that Alina was kidnapped two weeks after the extradition case had been closed seemed a little too suspicious to Petro. And if you added the fact that Heather Taffet had been in the Chevy Chase Parking garage at the same time that Alina had been kidnapped, well Petro was certain that he was on the right track. He was an experienced Detective and a talented Security Chief. His gut told him that Heather Taffet was involved in the Gravedigger case and she had helped kidnap Alina. He would find out the truth.

Originally, Petro had two of his security personnel monitor Taffet. While Denys Kryvonis and Oleksander Skliar had kept track of Heather Taffet they had witnessed a clandestine meeting with someone that turned out to be a Baltimore Police Detective identified as William Elmore. The suspected kidnapper had met twice with Elmore right after Agent Seeley Booth had interviewed her at the Hoover. Taffet had met with the Baltimore Detective both times out of town in a small café in Richmond and that led the Ukrainian Security chief to suspect that Elmore was assisting Taffet in some way. Since then both Taffet and Elmore seemed to be living very quiet lives. Petro didn't know if that meant the two suspects thought they were being watched or if they were just laying low since the FBI had interviewed Taffet.

Petro had hoped that eventually Elmore and Taffet would try to kidnap someone and he might use that as leverage to find Alina Bondar's body. Everyone at the Ukrainian Embassy was still upset over the kidnapping of Alina and as far as Petro could tell, everyone wanted revenge. Leonid Bondar still mourned the loss of his wife and he refused to leave the States until his wife's body was found. The Security Chief was using his best resources to accomplish that. He would not fail to help bring Alina's killers to justice. Whether that was American justice or Ukrainian justice remained to be seen.

Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Denys was bored. He and Oleksander had been monitoring William Elmore for several weeks now and as far as Denys was concerned the Baltimore Detective was a very boring man. He went to work and afterward he went to the movies or to a few ball games and the rest of the time he stayed home watching television or playing on his computer.

On a rather quiet evening, Denys noticed the homicide Detective leave his apartment after dark and he hoped that something was about to happen. As he followed Elmore from his house, Denys made a call to his boss. "Sir, William Elmore is on the move. This is the first time he has left his home after settling in for the evening. He seems to be heading towards Virginia."

 _You must keep me informed, Denys. Don't lose him. He may be going shopping or he may be up to something else. I need you to make sure you watch him carefully and I will alert Oleksander as soon as I end this call. I will check in with Fedir and see if Taffet is also on the road. Oleksander and I will stand by in case you need help of some kind. Do not confront Detective Elmore unless you have to. You must assume that he is dangerous._

"I understand. I will be careful and I will keep you informed." Denys was hopeful. If Elmore was the Gravedigger then maybe he had chosen his next victim. He fervently hoped that if that was the case then he, Petro and Oleskander would be able to save whoever his intended victim was and present Agent Booth with the Gravedigger. He prayed that would lead to the recovery of Alinda's body and Leonid could go home.

Denys wasn't familiar with the roads that Elmore was taking and worried that he would lose him. He finally called his supervisor and asked him to get on the road and catch up with him as soon as possible. The detective still seemed to be heading to Virginia and he knew that Petro could meet him on the road and not waste time.

 _I am on the way Denys. Fedir says that Taffet left her house but his car was cut off by a truck and he lost her._

Moving into a fairly nice neighborhood, Denys witnessed Elmore park his car on the street in front of a house and turn the engine off. Quickly stopping his own car, he parked it several houses down and sat in his car waiting to see what would happen next. Soon, another car passed his car, continued down the street and parked in front of Elmore's car. Not really surprised, Denys witnessed Heather Taffet leave her car and walk over to Elmore's car. They chatted for a few seconds and after Heather motioned Elmore to leave his car, they were walking across the semi-lit road, up the driveway of a modest house and over to the door. Not sure what he should do, he called Petro and gave him the address where his car was parked. Anxiously, he watched Taffet knock on the door, Agent Booth open the door and then collapse on the porch. Taffet had tasered the man and both she and Elmore picked him up, carried him down the sidewalk over to Elmore's car and loaded Booth in the trunk. Frightened for the agent, Denys called Petro and told him what was happening.

 _We are almost where you are. If they move follow them. Don't lose sight of them. Oleksander and I will be there in ten minutes._

"They're driving away. Do you wish me to stop them?"

" _No, Denys not by yourself. We're almost there. We will follow them to where they are going and once they stop, there will be three of us to confront them. Don't lose them Denys. You must not lose them."_

"I won't Petro. Just hurry." Denys placed his phone down on the seat next to him and kept an eye on the cars ahead of him. Worried that he would lose the vehicles in the traffic he almost cried out in relief when Petro's car drove up behind him. There were now two cars tailing Elmore and Denys was feeling more confident. Booth's life was on the line and they had to save him. While they traveled towards some unknown destination Oleksander's car caught up with Petro's car and now they had three cars tailing Elmore and Taffet. Denys was now confident that Booth would not die that night.

Oooooooooooooooo

They parked near a boat dock and Petro wondered if Taffet and Elmore planned to dump Booth into the ocean. Once Elmore's car was parked, Denys, Petro and Oleksander parked their cars a block away, left their cars and waited for Petro to decide their next move.

Petro watched Elmore pop the trunk of his car and the Security Chief knew that they had to move now while Taffet and Elmore were distracted. Racing down the street, Petro and his men pulled their guns from their holsters and as they arrived, Taffet glanced back, saw the men rushing towards them and pulled a gun from her jacket pocket. She turned to aim her weapon at Booth and Petro knew he had seconds to respond. Firing at the attorney, Petro witnessed the attorney's blood spray from the back of her head while she fell against the car then to the ground. In the meantime, Elmore dropped Booth back in the trunk of the car and tried to pull his gun. Before he could clear his gun from its holster, Petro was standing next to him with a gun to the detective's head.

"Where is Alina Bondar buried?" Petro noticed that no one had appeared to investigate the shot fired and he hoped it stayed that way.

Terrified, Detective Elmore protested. "I don't know who Alina is. I was just doing what Taffet told me to do. She's the Gravedigger. I . . ."

Pressing the gun harder against the Detective's head, Petro interrupted the man. "Where is Alina Bondar buried? You have three seconds to tell me . . . one . . . two . . . th . . ."

"Wait, wait. Taffet had me bury Alina at the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Park. I planted her . . . I buried her near the falls. I can draw a map. Don't kill me." He was afraid that he was about to die and he didn't want to die.

"I will not kill you Detective Elmore." Petro pulled the Detective away from the car and motioned for his men to check on Booth. "Denys call an ambulance and I suppose we must call 911 and report what has happened."

Making sure that Booth was still breathing, Denys sighed with relief. "He is breathing normally. I think he will be okay and yes we should call the police. I fear they will be angry with us."

Amused, Petro chuckled. "I don't give a shit, do you Denys? We know where Alina is buried. Booth is saved, The Gravedigger is dead and we have diplomatic immunity. The police and the FBI can be mad with us all they want. We did a good thing here and we will be heroes at home."

After they removed Booth from the trunk of the car, Oleksander removed his jacket and used it as a pillow for the FBI Agent. "Leonid will get to go home with Alina. That is all that matters Petro and Booth will return to his family as well."

Ooooooooooooooooooo

Groggy, Booth opened his eyes and stared at the white tiles in the ceiling above him. "What the hell?"

Grateful that Booth was awake, Brennan leaned over her partner and gripped his upper arm. "You were kidnapped last night Booth. I wasn't aware there was a problem until I searched the house and the garage and I couldn't find you. I searched the neighborhood then called Agent Harris and told him that you were missing. He put out a BOLO for you shortly after I called him. I got a call two hours later telling me that Petro Oliynyk had found you and saved your life. The Gravedigger and her accomplice kidnapped you from our house and Petro and some of his security people saved you from them."

Confused, Booth turned to look around and spied Petro standing near the window in the room. "You just happened to see me kidnapped? That's quite a coincidence." Booth didn't believe in coincidences and he knew that Petro had been up to something.

Not embarrassed in the least, Petro smiled a satisfied smile. "When I saw the picture of Heather Taffet, I knew that her being at the parking garage when Alina was kidnapped was not an accident. I had two of my men watch her and soon she led us to a Baltimore Detective named William Elmore. I had my men start to watch him and I assigned another man to watch Taffet. I had done some research on Taffet and Elmore and that led me to believe that they were involved in Alina Bondar's kidnapping. I didn't have any physical proof but my gut told me that I was not wrong . . . Last night, Detective Elmore left his house and one of my people followed him. The Detective met Taffet across the street from where you live. Denys watched them knock on the door of your house, taser you then carry you to Elmore's car. Denys was by himself and I knew it was too dangerous for him to confront them. He called me to tell me what was going on and he followed them. Me and another of my men caught up while Elmore and Taffet as they drove to some unknown destination. They stopped at a boat dock and we knew we had minutes to save you. When Elmore opened the trunk of his car to pull you out, my men and I charged over. Taffet pulled a gun and was going to shoot you, so I killed her. We captured Detective Elmore. He claims that Taffet was the Gravedigger and that he worked for her. She was blackmailing him to do it. I do not know if I believe him or not, but it doesn't matter. Taffet is dead and the detective will never be free again."

"You should have come to be me with your suspicions, Petro . . . but thanks for saving my life." Booth was sure that Petro and his people might be in trouble for the shooting, but they'd have to see how that played out. "I don't remember being kidnapped. I was in the living room. I heard a knock on the door and answered it . . . I don't remember seeing Taffet or Detective Elmore at the door."

She could hear the concern in Booth's voice. Brennan explained why his memory was faulty. "Being tasered can impair a person's ability to remember and process information. There are a few studies being done on this subject . . . You should be alright Booth. It isn't important that you remember being kidnapped. Petro's man Denys Kryvonis witnessed the kidnapping and recorded Taffet and Detective Elmore carry you to their car and put you in the trunk."

A cold chill ran down Booth's back. "If your man hadn't seen what had happened I'd probably be buried underground now."

"Not underground Booth." Petro stepped closer to the bed. "Detective Elmore has made a full confession. The plan was to lock you in a ship that has been decommissioned. The ship is scheduled to be sunk today and become part of a man-made reef for fish."

"God!" Booth slowly shook his head. "To be blown up . . . thanks for saving me Petro."

"You are welcome, Booth." Petro glanced at his watch. "I have to go. I will check on you tomorrow. I am glad this worked out and I am glad the Gravedigger is dead."

Once Petro was gone, Brennan leaned closer and kissed Booth on the lips. "You promised to never leave me, Booth. You said that we will always be together . . . If you had disappeared . . . I'm glad that Petro decided to watch Taffet and I'm glad that the Gravedigger is dead. She can't hurt anyone else."

Reaching up a hand, Booth placed it behind her head and kissed her more passionately. Almost breathless his lips parted from hers and he smiled at his partner. "I won't ever leave you, Bones. If I'd been buried alive . . . If you never saw me again you had to know that it wasn't what I wanted. I never want to leave you . . . Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Brennan sat down on the bed and held Booth's hand. "You weren't gone long enough to cause me real worry. I didn't know where you were, but I trusted that I would see you again . . . Petro saved you and I will always be grateful to him."

Tired, Booth closed his eyes. "I hope we find out where Alina is buried. That's been his biggest worry. He really wants to give Alina's husband closure."

An hour later, a knock on the door frame drew Booth and Brennan's attention to the man standing in the hallway. Not sure if he was welcome, Jared entered the room and stopped just inside the doorway. "Cam told me what happened . . . I came to see if you're okay."

Surprised to see his brother, Booth gave him a slight smile. "I'm okay. Bones says they just want to keep me here to give me a few tests, but . . . yeah, I'm okay."

Glad to hear that, Jared walked across the room and handed Booth a gift bag. "I'm sorry about the other day. I was hung over and . . . well anyway, I've been thinking about what you said and what I said and . . . and I've joined AA. I'm not Dad, Seeley. I'm not him and neither are you. We made it out of that house alive and we have Pops to thank for that. There isn't any reason for us to go back . . . okay?"

"Yeah, it's okay Jared. We're okay."

Oooooooooooooooooo

They met at the airport.

"Hey, Petro." Booth and Brennan had wanted to be at the airport before Leonid boarded the flight to return home with the body of his wife. "We thought we were going to be late because of traffic."

"No, you are not too late." Petro was glad to see his friend. "Leonid has just boarded his flight. He wanted to thank you personally, but he asked me to give you this when he realized that you were delayed. He came prepared." The Ukrainian handed Booth a letter. "He was so grateful that we were able to find Alina. Of course, he hoped until the end that she was alive, but at least now he can mourn properly for her."

Surprised, Booth took the letter and placed it in his jacket pocket. "I didn't do anything. You rescued me from Taffet, remember?"

"Yes, but he is grateful that you took Alina's disappearance seriously and started an investigation into her disappearance. By keeping me in the loop, I was able to save you and find out where Alina was buried. If you had not taken me seriously then we may have never retrieved Alina's body." The Security Chief had hoped his friendship with Booth would help and it did.

"And I'd probably be dead." Booth still got chills thinking about what would have happened if Petro hadn't come to his rescue. "I'm glad that Leonid can bury his wife in her country. At least he can visit her now."

Petro didn't believe in God, but he knew he didn't know everything and he hoped there was an afterlife. It would be nice to see his parents again. "Yes, well, he has peace now. Alina's killer is dead, Detective Elmore is going to be tried for kidnapping and murder and he will likely get the death penalty. I would say that we will all get the revenge we want."

"I didn't want revenge, but I do like the idea that the Gravedigger can't hurt anyone else." Brennan still had nightmares about being buried underground along with Hodgins by the Gravedigger. She was sure she'd never get rid of those. Also, the thought of Booth disappearing from her life and never knowing what had happened to him just made her feel sick and she tried not to think about it too much. "Are you still going to have to leave the country?" Her partner had told her that the Attorney General of the United States was demanding that Petro be sent home.

"Yes, but that is fine." Petro had known from the beginning that he might have to leave if he got involved in Alina's kidnapping, but he didn't regret anything. "I have been told I will be transferred to the Canadian Embassy. My English is very good and it will come in handy dealing with the Canadians." He also spoke French and German, but he liked living in North America and he felt that he would be fine in Canada. "You will have to come see me sometimes. I will learn about Toronto and perhaps if the Toronto Maple Leafs make it to the Stanley Cup, you will come and see the game. I am sure I can get tickets. I have embassy connections you know."

That sounded like a great idea although Booth wasn't sure the Maple Leafs would make it to the Stanley Cup anytime soon. "It's a deal, Petro. You have my email address. Write me when you're bored."

"I will, Booth." Petro smiled at Brennan. "It was a pleasure meeting you Dr. Brennan. I have started reading your novels and they are very entertaining. I can see who you based Agent Andy on."

"Agent Andy is a fictional character." Annoyed Brennan tried to correct the Ukrainian. "He is not based upon anyone living."

Amused, Petro winked at Booth. "Of course, Dr. Brennan. I will take your word for it since it is your book."

"Of course you will." Brennan glanced at Booth and then back at Petro. "Thank you for saving Booth's life. I know that I have already told you this, but I feel compelled to say it again." She was very grateful for Petro giving Booth back to her.

"It was my pleasure, Dr. Brennan." Petro smiled at the couple and knew he would never forget them. "It really was my pleasure."

Oooooooooooooooooooo

This is the final chapter of this story. Thanks to those of you who have stuck it out through 59 chapters. I appreciated the reviews. It is the only way I can tell if anyone is interested in my stories and it's how I judge whether to keep a story going.


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